Category:Cudgel

Cudg"el (kj"l), n. Etym: [OE. kuggel; cf. G. keule club (with a round end), kugel ball, or perh. W. cogyl cudgel, or D. cudse, kuds, cudgel.]

Defn: A staff used in cudgel play, shorter than the quarterstaff, and wielded with one hand; hence, any heavy stick used as a weapon. He getteth him a grievous crabtree cudgel and. . . falls to rating of them as if they were dogs. Bunyan. Cudgel play, a fight or sportive contest with cudgels. -- To cross the cudgels, to forbear or give up the contest; -- a phrase borrowed from the practice of cudgel players, who lay one cudgel over another when the contest is ended. -- To take up cudgels for, to engage in a contest in behalf of (some one or something).

cudgel Cudg"el, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cudgeled or Cudgelled (-; p. pr. & vb. n. Cudgeling or cudgelling.]

Defn: To beat with a cudgel. An he here, I would cudgel him like a dog. Shak. To cudgel one's brains, to exercise one's wits.