mallet

American  

[mal-it] / ˈmæl ɪt /

noun

1. a hammerlike tool with a head commonly of wood but occasionally of rawhide, plastic, etc., used for driving any tool with a wooden handle, as a chisel, or for striking a surface.

2. the wooden implement used to strike the balls in croquet.

3. Polo. the long-handled stick, or club, used to drive the ball.

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mallet British  

/ ˈmælɪt /

noun

1. a tool resembling a hammer but having a large head of wood, copper, lead, leather, etc, used for driving chisels, beating sheet metal, etc

2. a long stick with a head like a hammer used to strike the ball in croquet or polo

3. a very large powerful steam locomotive with a conventional boiler but with two separate articulated engine units

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Etymology

Origin of mallet

1375–1425; late Middle English maillet < Middle French, equivalent to mail maul + -et -et

Example Sentences

It’s actually fun to dig and whack things with a mallet.

From Literature

With two pink-felted mallets in his right hand and one in the left, he began to pick out the mesmeric rhythm and melody, expertly striking the xylophone-like metal bars creating a delicate, resonant sound.

From BBC

Alternatively, use a meat mallet to flatten and add a pattern to the cookies.

From Salon

The ensemble spends much of its time on mallet instruments, setting the stage, keeping a melodic line or pulse going.

From Los Angeles Times

Danger feels suspended in the soft-blue light, in which the lion’s tail and the round, silvery moon, balanced just-so, are poised like a raised mallet and gong.

From The Wall Street Journal

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