A structure or mechanism that tilts or swings, especially a type of bridge that can be raised and lowered; a seesaw-like device.
From French 'bascule,' derived from 'bas' (low) and 'culler' (to fall or rock). The term gained English prominence in the 19th century with the development of bascule bridges in cities like Chicago.
Chicago's famous drawbridges are bascule bridges—they use the same physics as a seesaw, with weights on one side balancing a roadway on the other, making them cheap and reliable to operate.
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