battering ram

noun

1. an ancient military device with a heavy horizontal ram for battering down walls, gates, etc.
2. any of various similar devices, usually machine-powered, used in demolition, by police and firefighters to force entrance to a building, etc.

battering ram

noun

1. (esp formerly) a large beam used to break down the walls or doors of fortifications

Word History and Origins

Origin of battering ram¹

First recorded in 1605–15

Example Sentences

A subsequent police report contained errors, including listing Taylor's injuries as "none" and saying no force was used to enter, when a battering ram had been used.

From BBC

It can be frustrating to see England using bowlers of high pace only as battering rams – Jamie Overton, Olly Stone and Josh Tongue have had similar treatment – but sometimes needs must.

From BBC

Hutt, in an interview, drew a comparison between the robot dog and the LAPD’s “battering ram” — a massive truck that tore down crack houses in the 1980s and prompted an uproar from community groups.

From Los Angeles Times

At a Redlands nudist ranch, police used a battering ram to breach the home of a person who may have been involved in the disappearance of a couple.

From Los Angeles Times

Police officers converged on a Redlands nudist ranch on Thursday, using a battering ram to break into the home of a suspect in the disappearance of a local couple.

From Los Angeles Times