truncheon
Americannoun
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the club carried by a police officer; billy.
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a staff representing an office or authority; baton.
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the shattered shaft of a spear.
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Obsolete. cudgel; bludgeon.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a short thick club or cudgel carried by a policeman
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a baton of office
a marshal's truncheon
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archaic a short club or cudgel
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the shaft of a spear
verb
Other Word Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has truncheonedperfect 3rd person singular
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have truncheonedperfect
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have been truncheoningperfect progressive
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has been truncheoningperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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am truncheoningprogressive 1st person singular
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truncheonssingular 3rd person
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truncheoningparticiple
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are truncheoningprogressive
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is truncheoningprogressive 3rd person singular
Past
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had truncheonedperfect
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were truncheoningprogressive plural
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was truncheoningprogressive singular
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had been truncheoningperfect progressive
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truncheonedsimple
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truncheonedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of truncheon
1300–50; Middle English tronchon fragment < Middle French < Vulgar Latin *trunciōn-, stem of *trunciō literally, a lopping. See trunk, -ion
Explanation
A truncheon is a short, thick club, mainly used by police officers. If you find yourself face-to-face with a truncheon, you better behave. A truncheon is used by a police officer as a less deadly weapon than a gun. Just the sight of a police officer's truncheon is enough to make most people cooperate, but police are trained to use a truncheon to neutralize a violent suspect. Truncheons are also called batons, billy clubs, and nightsticks. The word truncheon comes from the Old French tronchon, "a broken off piece" or "a stump," is based on the Latin word truncus, "cut off."
Vocabulary lists containing truncheon
Refugee
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1984
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And Then There Were None
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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.
Truncheon, trun′shun, n. a short staff: a cudgel: a baton or staff of authority.—v.t. to beat with a truncheon: to cudgel.—adj.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various
Oh, it was delightful to hear Mr. Truncheon!
From A Little Dinner at Timmin's by Thackeray, William Makepeace
Macready used to drop his Truncheon when he heard of the Queen’s Death, and stand with his Mouth open for some while—which didn’t become him.
From Letters of Edward FitzGerald to Fanny Kemble (1871-1883) by Wright, William Aldis
"I'm Truncheon, Ma'am," he said, with a low bow.
From A Little Dinner at Timmin's by Thackeray, William Makepeace
Mr. Truncheon observed, who seemed to have a spite to Mrs. Gashleigh.
From A Little Dinner at Timmin's by Thackeray, William Makepeace
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.
