cudgel

Dictionary

cudgel |ˈkəjəl|

noun

a short thick stick used as a weapon.

verb ( cudgeled , cudgeling ; Brit. cudgelled, cudgelling) [ trans. ]

beat with a cudgel. PHRASES cudgel one's brain (or brains) think hard about a problem. take up the cudgels start to defend or support someone or something strongly : there was no one else to take up the cudgels on their behalf. ORIGIN Old English cycgel, of unknown origin.

Thesaurus

cudgel noun a thick wooden cudgel club, bludgeon, stick, truncheon, baton, mace, blackjack, billy club, nightstick, shillelagh. verb the victim was cudgeled to death bludgeon, club, beat, batter, bash.