billy club
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of billy club
First recorded in 1945–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Mr. Roman in 2008 first publicized “the presence of two members of the New Black Panther Party — one carrying a billy club — outside of a Philadelphia polling site.”
From Washington Times • Aug. 15, 2023
“Faithfulness” has become a watchword for adaptations, sometimes a measure of authenticity, sometimes a billy club to police divergences from a favorite story.
From New York Times • May 1, 2023
He kept swatting his billy club onto his hand and it would make a sound.
From Slate • Jun. 25, 2019
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports Rizzo’s estate sale starts Black Friday, Nov. 23, and will include his billy club and Rolodex, Italian-made furniture and a signed picture of Richard Nixon.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 8, 2018
Cops are community helpers and all that, but a billy club and gun don’t ever look very friendly.
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
