Word of the Day 1 August 2026

deadman

A long object, often a timber or log, buried to serve as an anchor for a wall or for stays.

Why this one

The name is grim and the function is simple: mass buried in the ground, holding a line that would otherwise pull free.

In use

Trench the deadman back behind the wall face, otherwise those tiebacks are just holding onto loose fill.

Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.

Sources