deadfall

/ˈdɛdˌfɔl/
noun
  1. A trap for catching animals, made of a heavy weight that falls on the prey.
    • Deadfalls are an ancient method of hunting small game.
    • The trapper set a deadfall along the animal trail.
    • He built a simple deadfall using a log and a stick.
  2. A tangled mass of fallen trees and branches on the ground in a forest.
    • Animals often hide in the deadfall for shelter.
    • Hiking through the deadfall was slow and difficult.
    • The storm left a huge deadfall blocking the path.
What does "deadfall" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean