David Zapatka
Friend and fellow bridge player, Susan, writes, “I recently read a new word, ‘cudgel.’ Would you research this word for your column?”
Cudgel—cud·gel noun: A short, thick stick used as a weapon. verb: To strike or beat with a cudgel; metaphorically, to forcefully apply or exert something, such as pressure or influence
Origin and Etymology—Originates from Old English cycgel, meaning “club with rounded head.” Possibly derived from the Proto-Indo-European root geu- meaning “to curve, bend.”
First Known Use—The noun form dates back to before the 12th century while the verb form first appeared in 1598, notably in the works of William Shakespeare.
In politics, if you take up the cudgels for someone or something, you speak or fight in support of them. e.g. The president took up the cudgels in his acceptance speech.
In Spanish, it is known as “clava cefalomorfa.” It has some ritual importance as a special sign of distinction carried by the tribal chief. It functioned as a walking staff and a weapon for both self-defense and wartime.
In Old English, to cudgel, means to club with a rounded head.
In English, to cudgel your brain means to think very hard or try to remember something you have forgotten; something many of us have plenty of experience with.
In today’s vernacular, a baton, billy club, blackjack or nightstick may be used in place of a cudgel.
Historical usage—Cudgels were common weapons in medieval Europe, especially among foot soldiers and commoners who couldn’t afford swords. In 17th-century England, cudgel-playing was a type of martial sport, similar to fencing but using wooden sticks.
Cudgel used in a sentence:
The thief brandished a cudgel to frighten his victims.
The officer was violently cudgeled down in the midst of the rioters.
Cudgel used on the web:
This word derives from the Greek rhopalos, for a club or cudgel, thicker toward one end than the other—Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 December 2022
Goodell and the league certainly have a sharp cudgel to dangle over anyone’s head—BostonGlobe.com, 16 October 2021
Newman said that showed how some members of the City Council think now is the time to give law enforcement a cudgel to move people living on the streets—Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 8 November 2020
Growing up in Chicago, Illinois, I was a fan of the local sports teams—football, baseball, hockey, and basketball. On special occasions, I attended sporting events with my dad. Following a White Sox game at Comiskey Park, there was a fight between rival gangs in the parking lot. On the way to our car, I picked up a beautifully-crafted billy club left on the ground which I keep in my office to this day. I have my very own Chicago cudgel souvenir.
Do you own a cudgel? Please submit your cudgel experiences or any word you may like to share along with your insights and comments to dzapatka@wbhsi.net.