CUDGELS

Noun

cudgels

plural of cudgel

Verb

cudgels

Third-person singular simple present indicative form of cudgel

Anagrams

• cludges

Source: Wiktionary

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.]

Definition: 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).

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

Definition: 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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition