billy clubs

noun

plural of billy club
as in canes
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment rapping the shoes of the sleeping vagrant with his billy club, the officer told him to move on

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of billy clubs After about a minute and half, Mauldin said, police began to attack the demonstrators with billy clubs. — Maya Miller, ProPublica, 15 May 2026 Mayhem erupted when the strikers were attacked with tear gas and billy clubs. — Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 3 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for billy clubs
  1. canes
  2. batons
Noun
  • This is because fruit development consumes much of the vine’s energy, so removing the fruit at this point allows the vine’s energy to continue to develop a strong cordon, canes (vertical shoots), and root system.
    — The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2026
  • Choose 3-6 strong, healthy, outside canes per plant to keep and leave 3-5 buds on each cane.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of canes
Noun
  • In Paris, tear gas filled the air, and trash cans, school desks and chairs were set alight as riot police with shields and batons clashed with some demonstrators.
    — Melissa Bell, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Rights groups say police are deploying ​heavy-handed force with rubber bullets and batons against the protesters, many of them schoolchildren.
    — Ellen Francis, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of batons

Browse Nearby Words

billy club
billy clubs
billycock
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Billy clubs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/billy%20clubs. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of abscond

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All