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.

He had known all day that something was coming, and had been cudgelling his brains finely.

From Beyond by Galsworthy, John

Until he became too fatigued to suffer his mind to dwell upon anything but his own discomfort, Sellon had been cudgelling his brains to solve the mystery of the resuscitated document, but in vain.

From Renshaw Fanning's Quest A Tale of the High Veldt by Mitford, Bertram

Pradelle had been cudgelling his brains for the past ten minutes, but the more he tried to find something à propos the more every pleasant subject seemed to recede.

From The Haute Noblesse A Novel by Fenn, George Manville

As soon as what he had been cudgelling his brains to find a way of saying had thus been said for him, Shelton experienced a sense of disapproval.

From The Island Pharisees by Galsworthy, John

To the very last moment he had been cudgelling his brains as to how he could manage to visit the Great Isabel without loss of time and undetected.

From Nostromo, a Tale of the Seaboard by Conrad, Joseph