maul

[mawl]

noun

1. a heavy hammer, as for driving stakes or wedges.

2. Archaic.,  a heavy club or mace.

verb (used with object)

1. to handle or use roughly.

   The book was badly mauled by its borrowers.

2. to injure by a rough beating, shoving, or the like; bruise.

   to be mauled by an angry crowd.

3. to split with a maul and wedge, as a wooden rail.

maul

/ mɔːl /

verb

1. to handle clumsily; paw

2. to batter or lacerate

noun

1. a heavy two-handed hammer suitable for driving piles, wedges, etc

2. rugby a loose scrum that forms around a player who is holding the ball and on his feet

Other Word Forms

• mauler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of maul¹

First recorded in 1200–50; (noun) Middle English malle, from Old French mail “mallet, hammer,” from Latin malleus “hammer”; (verb) Middle English mallen, from Old French maillier, derivative of noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of maul¹

C13: from Old French mail, from Latin malleus hammer. See _mallet

Example Sentences

Down to 14, Wales were even more exposed and there was no mercy as Perry crashed over, followed by replacement Kassil off the back of a powerful maul.

From BBC

He treasures that trait even as he has hidden it beneath armor to avoid “being too badly mauled by the vicissitudes of life.”

From Los Angeles Times

When a penalty was kicked to the corner a few minutes later, Ireland's intent was clear and Jones rumbled over for a second try following a line-out maul that took a while to get going.

From BBC

Wales pressed to get one back as the half drew to a close and had a promising five metre line-out, but they were penalised for an illegal maul and the chance went begging.

From BBC

A large part of England's success in France came through kicking for the corner, dominating the line-out then rolling a maul over the tryline.

From BBC

Related Words

• beat up 
• bludgeon 
• drub 
• lacerate 
• molest 
• mug 
• pummel 
• rough up 
• thrash 
• trample