battlement

battlement [-s] n

OFr

1. Parapet; castle tower; top edge of a high wall; highest part of a fortress (see Jeremiah 5:10); [fig.] sanctuary in heaven.
2. Barrier; structure to prevent entry; [fig.] obstacle; deterrent; stumbling block.
3. City wall; outer urban fortification; enclosure for defending a community (see Joshua 2:15; Acts 9:23-25); [fig.] crisis; predicament; precipice; precarious situation.