Hypertext Webster Gateway: "truncheon"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Truncheon \Trun"cheon\, v. t.
To beat with a truncheon. --Shak.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Truncheon \Trun"cheon\, n. [OE. tronchoun the shaft of a broken
spear, broken piece, OF. tronchon, tron?on, F. tron?on, fr.
OF. & F. tronce, tronche, a piece of wood; cf. OF. trons,
tros, trois; all perhaps from L. thyrsus a stalk, stem,
staff. See {Thyrsus}, and cf. {Trounce}.]
1. A short staff, a club; a cudgel; a shaft of a spear.
With his truncheon he so rudely struck. --Spenser.
2. A baton, or military staff of command.
The marshal's truncheon nor the judges robe. --Shak.
3. A stout stem, as of a tree, with the branches lopped off,
to produce rapid growth. --Gardner.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
truncheon
n : a policeman's club [syn: {nightstick}, {billy}, {billystick},
{stick}]
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