postern door

См. также в других словарях:

• a postern door makes a thief — Similar to opportunity makes a thief. A postern door is a back door or small entrance distinct from the main access. c 1450 Proverbs of Good Counsel in Book of Precedence (EETS) 69 A nyse wyfe, and a back dore, Makyth often tymus A ryche man pore …   Proverbs new dictionary

• Postern — Pos tern, a. Back; being behind; private. The postern door. Dryden. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

• door — see a door must either be shut or open a creaking door hangs longest a golden key can open any door when one door shuts, another opens opportunity never knocks twice at any man’s door a postern door makes a thief …   Proverbs new dictionary

• postern — see a postern door makes a thief …   Proverbs new dictionary

• door — door, gate, portal, postern, doorway, gateway are comparable chiefly as meaning an entrance to a place. Door applies chiefly to the movable and usually swinging barrier which is set in the opening which serves as an entrance to a building or to a …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

• Postern — Pos tern, n. [OF. posterne, posterle, F. poterne, fr. L. posterula, fr. posterus coming after. See {Posterior}.] 1. Originally, a back door or gate; a private entrance; hence, any small door or gate. [1913 Webster] He by a privy postern took his… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

• postern — [pōs′tərn, päs′tərn] n. [ME < OFr posterne, altered < posterle < LL posterula, a small back door, postern, dim. < posterus: see POSTERIOR] a back door or gate; private entrance at the side or rear adj. of or resembling a postern, as… …   English World dictionary

• postern — late 13c., back door, private door, from O.Fr. posterne, earlier posterle, from L.L. posterula small back door or gate, dim. of L. posterus that is behind, coming after, subsequent, from post after …   Etymology dictionary

• postern — gate, *door, gateway, doorway, portal …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

• door — [n] entrance to room, building aperture, egress, entry, entryway, exit, gate, gateway, hatch, hatchway, ingress, opening, portal, postern, slammer; concept 440 …   New thesaurus

• postern — noun Etymology: Middle English posterne, from Anglo French, alteration of Old French posterle, from Late Latin posterula, diminutive of postera back door, from Latin, feminine of posterus Date: 14th century 1. a back door or gate 2. a private or… …   New Collegiate Dictionary