truncheon

[truhn-chuhn]

noun

1. the club carried by a police officer; billy.

2. a staff representing an office or authority; baton.

3. the shattered shaft of a spear.

4. Obsolete.,  cudgel; bludgeon.

verb (used with object)

1. Archaic.,  to beat with a club.

truncheon

/ ˈtrʌntʃən /

noun

1. a short thick club or cudgel carried by a policeman

2. a baton of office

   a marshal's truncheon

3. archaic,  a short club or cudgel

4. the shaft of a spear

verb

1. (tr) to beat with a truncheon

Word History and Origins

Origin of truncheon¹

1300–50; Middle English tronchon fragment < Middle French < Vulgar Latin *trunciōn-, stem of *trunciō literally, a lopping. See trunk, -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of truncheon¹

C16: from Old French tronchon stump, from Latin truncus trunk; see _truncate

Example Sentences

"They threw a blanket over the top of me and they were hitting me on top of the blanket with the truncheons to try and get me to co-operate with them," he said.

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Children giggle and run as kilikis with soft foam truncheons bop them if they get too close.

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At first, protesters were held back at roadblocks by tear gas and truncheons, then police started using water cannons and rubber bullets.

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And if the police knock on the company's door with its truncheon, they are likely to face a similarly robust response.

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The court heard Morgan armed himself with a small truncheon and joined a "mob" who attacked police and damaged buildings on August 3.

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Related Words

• baton