Deadfall

Quick meaning: Deadfall is a noun meaning (uncountable, Canada, US) Coarse woody debris; deadwood.

Meaning

(uncountable, Canada, US) Coarse woody debris; deadwood.

More Meanings

1. (countable, Canada, US, hunting) A kind of trap for animals, consisting of a heavy board or log that falls on to the prey.
2. (countable, US, slang) A cheap, rough bar or saloon.

Example Sentences

Heaver forest growth on the north-facing slopes, together with considerable deadfall and soil cover, makes geologic interpretation there difficult.

Marten, wolverine, lynx, ermine, fox, mink, beaver, and land otter were plentiful in the general vicinity of Kijik and traps and deadfalls were set for them.

They had lived down in horse barns, army “A” tents with the old blood-stains onto them, city hotels with canopy beds, woke up in back rooms of deadfalls where the bars had toothmarks end to end.

[…] I was an occasional dram-drinker at their saloon. I was never imposed upon by them with bad liquor, nor in any manner cheated there. I did not learn they kept loaded dice, marked cards, or any back-room "deadfall"—to rake the pockets of fuddled or drugged customers.

Word Forms

• deadfalls

Synonyms for deadfall

Depending on context, synonyms include dive.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include deadwood, duff, deadhead, woodjam, foggage, backwoods.

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