cudgel
Blunt striking weapon
A cudgel is a short, thick stick used as a weapon—cruder than a club, heavier than a cane.
To cudgel is to beat with such a stick.
The phrase take up the cudgels means to defend someone or something vigorously: She took up the cudgels for her embattled colleague.
To cudgel your brains is to think hard about a problem.
Heavy blunt weapon
- truncheonShort thick stick
- shillelaghIrish wooden club-cane
- nightstickPolice impact weapon
- blackjackCard game to twenty-one
cosh · sap · quarterstaff · baton · stick · staff · cane · rod
Striking with weight
- beatingRepeated striking or pulsing
- pummelingSustained striking attack
- batteringRepeated forceful striking
- clubbingVisiting nightclubs for entertainment
thrashing · drubbing · striking · bashing · thumping · walloping · mauling · assault
Seat of cognition
- rackFrame for holding items
- puzzleChallenge testing ingenuity
- ponderThink deeply about
- wrestleEngage in physical combat
think hard · struggle · strain · concentrate · deliberate · mull · contemplate
Force upon contact
- forceStrength or compulsion
- compulsionIrresistible urge to act
- intimidationDeliberate fear-inducing pressure
- bullyingAggressive repeated intimidation
coercion · arm-twisting · strong-arming · browbeating · bludgeoning · threatening · menacing · leverage
bludgeon
Heavy blunt weapon
- truncheonShort thick stick
- shillelaghIrish wooden club-cane
- nightstickPolice impact weapon
blackjack · cosh · sap · quarterstaff · baton · stick · staff · cane · rod · bastinado
bludgeoning
Striking with weight
- beatingRepeated striking or pulsing
- pummelingSustained striking attack
- batteringRepeated forceful striking
clubbing · thrashing · drubbing · striking · bashing · thumping · walloping · mauling · assault · blow
brain
Seat of cognition
think hard · wrestle · struggle · strain · concentrate · deliberate · mull · contemplate
pressure
Force upon contact
- forceStrength or compulsion
- compulsionIrresistible urge to act
- intimidationDeliberate fear-inducing pressure
bullying · coercion · arm-twisting · strong-arming · browbeating · bludgeoning · threatening · menacing · leverage · duress
- ancient weaponssword, swords, shield, shields, bow
- bludgeonsmace, bludgeon, truncheon, nightstick, blackjack
- combat artssword fighting, swordfighting, boxing, wrestling, grappling
- stick weaponsbo staff, quarterstaff, wooden staff, long stick, short stick
- Irish weaponsshillelagh, skean
- medieval armsswords, shields, axes, spears, bows
cudgelolive branch
Symbol of reconciliation
caress · diplomacy · soft touch · velvet glove · carrot