gourdin

club

noun goor-DAN Rare

Also means

cudgel

Usage Note

Gourdin denotes a heavy wooden club or cudgel, thicker than a simple bâton (stick). It is often associated with aggression or rough punishment. The final -n is nasalised; do not pronounce a final consonant. A coup de gourdin is a blow with a club, a phrase found in adventure or crime fiction.

Examples

"Il brandissait un gourdin pour faire fuir les intrus."

Natural Translation

He brandished a club to chase away the intruders.

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