noun
bludgeon
BLUHJ-uhn
noun
1
A short, heavy club used as a weapon.
"The attacker was carrying a homemade bludgeon."
verb
1
To hit someone repeatedly and violently with a heavy object.
"He was bludgeoned during a robbery outside the station."
2
To force someone into doing something through pressure or intimidation.
"The manager tried to bludgeon the team into accepting unpaid overtime."
How to Use Bludgeon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA heavy club, or the act of beating someone with one — also used figuratively for forcing someone into agreement through pressure.
Common pairings
bludgeon someone to death
bludgeon into submission
Word Forms
bludgeoned past tense, bludgeons plural, bludgeons singular
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The attacker was carrying a homemade _____.
Etymology
First recorded in 1730; origin uncertain, possibly from Cornish or an old French word for a club.