cudgel Definition
cudgel (kuj′əl)
noun
a short, thick stick or club
Etymology: ME (SW dial.) kuggel < OE cycgel, lit., club with rounded head, akin to Ger kugel, ball < IE base *geu-, to curve, bend > cod
transitive verb -·eled or -·elled, -·el·ing or -·el·ling
to beat with a cudgel
cudgel Idioms
cudgel one's brains
to think hard
take up the cudgels (for)
to come to the defense (of)
cudgel Synonyms
cudgel Synonyms
cudgel Usage Examples
Preposition: on
- behalf: In 1814 Wilberforce found time to turn from his interest in distressed negroes to take up cudgels on behalf of Lascar seamen in London.
- issue: I intend to take up the cudgels on this issue in Parliament.
Preposition: against
company: Thanks to the internet, there is now a great deal of help for anyone wishing to take up cudgels against a company.
Adjective modifier
- stout: I had with me a short stout cudgel and a long knife.
- thick: The coward placed a very thick cudgel beside him for protection.
- oaken: As he leaned upon a thick oaken cudgel his shoulders heaved in the effort to draw the air into his lungs.
- great: Perhaps it's another ruddy great cudgel to beat Neo Labor with.
Converse of object
- take: In gratitude we ought to take the cudgels and wave his guitar like a flag after some private conquest, screaming at the sky.
- smash: He smashed the cudgel into the Toller's head once, twice, three times.
- use: The attack was carried out by three masked males using cudgels studded with nails.
Noun used with modifier
Browse dictionary entries near cudgel
- ‹ cuddy
- ‹ cuddly
- ‹ cuddlesome
- ‹ cuddle
- ‹ cudbear
- ‹ cud
- ‹ cucurbit
- ‹ cucumber tree
- ‹ cucumber
- ‹ cucullate
- cudweed ›
- cue ›
- cue ball ›
- cue card ›
- Cuenca ›
- Cuernavaca ›
- cuesta ›
- cuff ›
- cuff link ›
- cuffing trades ›

