n. pl. bil·boes An iron bar to which sliding fetters are attached, formerly used to shackle the feet of prisoners. [Origin unknown.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
n. pl. bil·boes Archaic A sword, especially one having a well-tempered blade. [After Bilbao.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.