bludgeon

¹blud·geon

noun \ˈblə-jən\

Definition of BLUDGEON

1

: a short stick that usually has one thick or loaded end and is used as a weapon

2

: something used to attack or bully <the bludgeon of satire>

Examples of BLUDGEON

1. <guards armed with bludgeons roamed the compound>

Origin of BLUDGEON

origin unknown

First Known Use: 1730

Related to BLUDGEON

Synonyms

bastinado (or bastinade), bat, baton, billy, billy club, club, cane, cudgel, nightstick, rod, rung [Scottish], sap, shillelagh (also shillalah), staff, truncheon, waddy [Australian]

Related Words

blackjack, knobkerrie, mace; birch, crabstick, hickory, rattan, stave, switch; beetle, gavel, hammer, mallet, maul, sledgehammer; crook, crosier (or crozier), walking stick, whangee

Other Weapons and Explosives Terms

automatic, carbine, cudgel, muzzle, rapier

Rhymes with BLUDGEON

dudgeon, gudgeon

²bludgeon

transitive verb

Definition of BLUDGEON

1

: to hit with heavy impact

2

: to attack or overcome by aggressive argument : bully <mental bludgeoning>

Examples of BLUDGEON

1. The victim was bludgeoned to death with a hammer.
2. <bludgeoned the door with an iron bar in a senseless act of vandalism>

First Known Use of BLUDGEON

1868

Related to BLUDGEON

Synonyms

bang, bash, bat, belt, biff, hit, bob, bonk, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clock, clout, crack, hammer, knock, nail, paste, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slog, slug, smack, smite, sock, strike, swat, swipe, tag, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale, zap

Related Words

batter, beat, buffet, bung, chop, cuff, drub, lace, lambaste (or lambast), lick, mangle, maul, pelt, pepper, pommel, pummel, rough; scuff; bunt, flick, stroke, tap; bump, butt, jab, jostle, kick, knee, poke, prod, push, shove, stamp; bowl (down or over), cream, deck, dump [slang], fell, floor, knock down, level; rabbit-punch, sucker punch; cane, club, cudgel, flail, flog, lash, sap, slash, sledge, sledgehammer, spear, stab, switch, thrash, whip; bean, brain, conk, skull

Rhymes with BLUDGEON

dudgeon, gudgeon