different between cudgel vs birch

English

Etymology

From Middle English kuggel, from Old English cy??el (“a large stick, cudgel”), from Proto-Germanic *kuggilaz (“knobbed instrument”), derivative of Proto-Germanic *kugg? (“cog, swelling”), from Proto-Indo-European *gewg?- (“swelling, bow”), from Proto-Indo-European *gew-, *g?- (“to bow, bend, arch, curve”), equivalent to cog +? -el (diminutive suffix). Cognate with Middle Dutch coghele (“stick with a rounded end”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?k?d??l/
• Rhymes: -?d??l

Noun

cudgel (plural cudgels)

1. A short heavy club with a rounded head used as a weapon.
2. (figuratively) Anything that can be used as a threat to force one's will on another.

Translations

Verb

cudgel (third-person singular simple present cudgels, present participle (US) cudgeling or (Commonwealth) cudgelling, simple past and past participle (US) cudgeled or (Commonwealth) cudgelled)

1. To strike with a cudgel.
   • 1950, Jack Vance, Dying Earth, "Mazirian the Magician"

     Aboard the barge and so off the trail, the blessing lost its puissance and the barge-tender, who coveted Guyal's rich accoutrements, sought to cudgel him with a knoblolly.

2. To exercise (one's wits or brains).

Translations

See also

• club
• singlestick

Further reading

• club (weapon) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• cludge

English

Etymology

From Middle English birche, birk, from Old English bir?e, bier?e, from Proto-West Germanic *birkij?, from Proto-Germanic *birkij?, from Proto-Indo-European *b?erH?os.

Pronunciation

• (General American) enPR: bû(r)ch, IPA^(key): /b?t?/
• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: bû(r)ch, IPA^(key): /b??t?/
• Rhymes: -??(?)t?

Noun

birch (countable and uncountable, plural birches)

1. Any of various trees of the genus Betula, native to countries in the Northern Hemisphere.
2. A hard wood taken from the birch tree, typically used to make furniture.
3. A stick, rod or bundle of twigs made from birch wood, used for punishment.
4. A birch-bark canoe.

Synonyms

• (stick, rod or bundle of twigs): makepeace, switch

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

birch (third-person singular simple present birches, present participle birching, simple past and past participle birched)

1. to punish with a stick, bundle of twigs, or rod made of birch wood.
2. to punish as though one were using a stick, bundle of twigs, or rod made of birch wood.

Derived terms

• bircher

Translations

Middle English

Noun

birch

1. Alternative form of birche