stone wall

noun

a fence built of rough stones; used to separate fields (Freq. 2)

• Hypernyms: ↑fence, ↑fencing

• Hyponyms: ↑dry wall, ↑dry-stone wall

* * *

noun

1. chiefly North : a fence made of stones; especially : one built of rough stones without mortar to enclose a field — called also stone fence, rock fence

2. : an immovable block or obstruction especially in politics or public affairs

the politicians battered against a stone wall of deep-seated popular distrust — Political Science Quarterly

3. : stone fence 2

* * *

stone|wall «STOHN _WL», intransitive verb.

1. (in cricket) to bat solely to protect the wicket.

2. a) Especially British. to obstruct business, especially parliamentary business, by long speeches or other delaying tactics. b) to obstruct or prevent any action by evasive or delaying tactics: »

He and his aides schemed to “stonewall,” to make empty claims of “national security,”…to maneuver prosecutors—all in order to keep the facts from coming out (Anthony Lewis).

–v.t.

1. a) Especially British. to obstruct (parliamentary business) by long speeches or other delaying tactics. b) to obstruct or prevent (any action) by evasive or delaying tactics: »

Let the courts clamor for documents, the Judiciary Committee subpena tapes, the President…will “stonewall it” to the bitter end (New York Post).

–stone´wall´er, noun.

stone wall,

1. a wall built of stones.

2. a) Especially British. an obstruction of business, especially parliamentary business, by long speeches or other delaying tactics. b) any insurmountable obstruction or obstacle.