Cudgel (short, thick stick used as a weapon). A cudgel is a short, thick stick or club, often used as a weapon. It is typically associated with blunt force and has historically beed used for self-defense or combat. It has a figurative use. The term "cudgel" can also be used metaphorically to mean taking aggressive action or using forceful methods, as in: "he took up the cudgel to defend his beliefs." Example: The guards carried cudgels to maintain order.