Fr. for ‘horse,’ used in comb. (as in cheval-de-frise, cheval-glass, and in some Fr. phrases, as à cheval ‘on horseback,’ ‘with one foot on each side’; in military phraseol. ‘in command of two roads or lines of communication.’ (Formerly somewhat naturalized CHIVAL q.v.)
[F. cheval horse (= Pr. cavalh, Cat. caball, Sp. caballo, Pg. cavalho, It. cavallo):—L. caball-us pack-horse, nag.]
1609–38. Heywood, Rape Lucrece, Wks. 1874, V. 209. Then mount Chevall Brutus this night take you the charge of the army.
187[?]. Times (O.). The Western Powers will assuredly never permit Russia to place herself à cheval between the Ottoman Empire and Persia.
