different between bludgeon vs shillelagh

English

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): /bl?d?.?n/
• Rhymes: -?d??n

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

• truncheon

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.
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.

Synonyms

• (to club): cudgel
• (coerce): harass, pummel

Derived terms

• bludgeoner

Related terms

• clobber
• beat

Translations

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “bludgeon”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

English

Etymology

Either from Shillelagh, County Wicklow, in Ireland (from Irish Síol (“descendants”) + Éalaigh (a name)), because the forest near it provided the wood from which such clubs were made; or from sail (“cudgel”) + éille (“thong”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /???le?li/
• Rhymes: -e?li
• Hyphenation: shil?le?lagh

Noun

shillelagh (plural shillelaghs)

1. (Ireland) A wooden (traditionally blackthorn (sloe) wood) club ending with a large knob.
2. Any cudgel, whether or not of Irish origin.

Alternative forms

• shillala, shillalah, shillelah
• shillalagh
• shillaly, shillely

See also

• blackthorn

References

• Shillelah in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Further reading

• shillelagh (weapon) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia