Forms: 6–8 tenaile, 7 tenal, 8–9 tenail, 7– tenaille. [F. tenaille forceps (12th c. in Godef., Compl.), also in Fortification as in sense 2 (16th c. in Littré) = Pr. tenalhia, It. tanaglia:—L. tenācula, pl. of tenāculum holder: see prec.]
† 1. pl. Pincers, forceps: cf. prec., 1. Obs.
1597. Lowe, Chirurg (1634), 98. To do that operation, thou shalt be meetest, and with smallest paine to be done, with Tenals incisiues.
1727. Bradley’s Fam. Dict., s.v. Cray-fish, They have forked Claws, in the Form of black Tenails, or Pincers.
2. In Fortification, A small low work, consisting of one or two re-entering angles (single or double tenaille), placed before the curtain between two bastions. Tenaille of the place, the face of a fortress: see FACE sb. 17.
1589. Ive, Fortif., 33. The defences in so small Forts as these proceede chiefly, either of bulwarks, halfe bulwarks, and tenailes [etc.].
1677. R. Boyle, Treat. Art War, 81. All sort of Works by which the Camp is invironed, and shut up, as Redoubts, Bastions, Ravelins, Forts, Tennailes, Hornworks [etc.].
1708. Brit. Apollo, No. 63. 4/2. They will fill up the Ditch, in order to storm the Tenaile.
1886. N. L. Walford, Parl. Generals Grt. Civ. War, 214. A second party of forty or fifty men … attacked a tenaille which by its fire flanked one of the breaches.
