[lit. play of cudgels.] The playing or wielding of cudgels; the art of combat with cudgels; a contest with cudgels.
1636. T. Randall, in Ann. Dubrensia (1877), 19. What is the Barriers, but a Courtly way Of our more downe-right sport the Cudgell-play?
1682. H. More, Annot. Glanvill’s Lux Orient., 191. No small fools at the use of the Staff or Cudgil-play.
1712. Arbuthnot, John Bull, I. ii. Immense riches, which he used to squander away at back-sword, quarter-staff, and cudgel-play.
Hence Cudgel-player, Cudgel-playing.
1711. Budgell, Spect., No. 161, ¶ 3. A Ring of Cudgel-Players, who were breaking one another’s Heads.
1717. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., xxxiv. I. 122. As natural to them as cudgel playing or football to our British swains.
1826. Scott, in Croker Papers (1884), I. xi. 318. When I was a cudgel player, a sport at which I was once an ugly customer.
1859. Smiles, Self-Help, 62. Drew … while at Cawsand … won a prize for cudgel-playing.
