bludgeon

English

WOTD – 15 August 2008

Etymology

First attested in 1730. Origin uncertain, perhaps of Cornish origin (recorded as blogon c. 1450) or from Middle French bougeon, a diminutive of bouge (“club, stick”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK, US) IPA(key): /blʌdʒ.ən/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ʌdʒən

Noun

bludgeon (plural bludgeons)

  1. A short, heavy club, often of wood, which is thicker or loaded at one end.
    We smashed the radio with a steel bludgeon.

Translations

See also

Verb

bludgeon (third-person singular simple present bludgeons, present participle bludgeoning, simple past and past participle bludgeoned)

  1. (transitive) To strike or hit with something hard, usually on the head; to club.
    The apprehended rioter was bludgeoned to death.
  2. (transitive) To coerce someone, as if with a bludgeon.
    Their favorite method was bludgeoning us with the same old arguments in favor of their opinions.

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Derived terms

Translations

References

  • “bludgeon” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2018.
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