variants
also shillalah
as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
the bartender in the Irish pub keeps a shillelagh behind the bar just in case there's trouble
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shillelagh
The original shillelagh was retired with a new one introduced in 1997.
—
Tom Layberger, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
There are fleas and chamber pots and thumbed noses and a St. Patrick’s Day picnic that — hold on to your shillelagh!
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Or this:Youu can't pack a shillelagh in your carry-on: TSA finds cudgel at Idaho airport Meg Foster, a justice fellow at Georgetown University's Center on Privacy and Technology, said there are concerns about bias within the algorithms of various facial recognition technologies.
—Rebecca Santana and Rick Gentilo, USA TODAY, 15 May 2023
Air travelers, take note: Be sure to keep your guns and your knives and shillelaghs – and your cats for that matter – out of your carry-ons.
—Forrest Brown, CNN, 19 Apr. 2023
In contemporary times, some people study bataireacht, a type of Irish martial art, using the shillelagh.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2023
Owusu Koramoah loved it when former Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly hoisted the jeweled shillelagh in the locker room when the Irish would beat USC.
—Jimmy Watkins, cleveland, 9 Dec. 2022
The shillelagh, a tall walking stick, was also a protection against large animals.
—Brenda Yenke, cleveland, 24 Mar. 2022
Alabama played a competitive first half of its NCAA tournament opener Friday against Notre Dame, but then took a whack from the Fighting Irish’s shillelagh in the second half to end its season with a 78-64 loss.
—Mike Rodak | Mrodak@al.com, al, 18 Mar. 2022
Tom Layberger, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
There are fleas and chamber pots and thumbed noses and a St. Patrick’s Day picnic that — hold on to your shillelagh!
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Or this:Youu can't pack a shillelagh in your carry-on: TSA finds cudgel at Idaho airport Meg Foster, a justice fellow at Georgetown University's Center on Privacy and Technology, said there are concerns about bias within the algorithms of various facial recognition technologies.
—Rebecca Santana and Rick Gentilo, USA TODAY, 15 May 2023
Air travelers, take note: Be sure to keep your guns and your knives and shillelaghs – and your cats for that matter – out of your carry-ons.
—Forrest Brown, CNN, 19 Apr. 2023
In contemporary times, some people study bataireacht, a type of Irish martial art, using the shillelagh.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2023
Owusu Koramoah loved it when former Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly hoisted the jeweled shillelagh in the locker room when the Irish would beat USC.
—Jimmy Watkins, cleveland, 9 Dec. 2022
The shillelagh, a tall walking stick, was also a protection against large animals.
—Brenda Yenke, cleveland, 24 Mar. 2022
Alabama played a competitive first half of its NCAA tournament opener Friday against Notre Dame, but then took a whack from the Fighting Irish’s shillelagh in the second half to end its season with a 78-64 loss.
—Mike Rodak | Mrodak@al.com, al, 18 Mar. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shillelagh
Noun
-
Injured in a fall during infancy, McCombs depended on the support of a cane for the rest of his life.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Alas, Mount Gay doesn’t grow enough cane to use in all its rums, and Single Estate is still limited to a few thousand bottles per year.—
Tony Sachs,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The assailants arrived w/ batons, knives, and at least 1 assault rifle; many masked.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
25 Mar. 2025
-
Some of the attackers were masked, while others allegedly carried batons, knives, and at least one assault rifle.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The unit contains both shelves and hanging rods that can be adjusted by height.—
Brittany VanDerBill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Mar. 2025
-
The improvements are completed with a new crankshaft, rods, and pistons, as well as a revamped exhaust.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Foster certainly replenished his coaching staff, hiring nine new assistants, including hotshot offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri.—
Ben Bolch,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2025
-
The woman was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead by emergency medical staff.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shillelagh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shillelagh. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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