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.
Related Words
Explore French by topic
