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
-
Sabrina Carpenter’s Oopsie-Daisy Sabrina Carpenter Photo by Maya Dehlin Spach/FilmMagic Stepping out in a glittery tux carrying (and promptly dropping) a sparkly dance cane, Sabrina Carpenter staged a classic Hollywood musical number as a blooper reel, complete with a full-troupe tap routine.—
Anna Gaca,
Pitchfork,
3 Feb. 2025
-
There are posts about sticks shaped like hands, ones that resemble snakes, slingshot sticks, wizard staffs, curved canes and spiraled, twisted and beetle-gnawed sticks.—
Alina Hartounian,
NPR,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Cheryl Toussaint was on edge waiting for the baton in the early heats of the 4×400 meter relay at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.—
Tony Paige,
New York Daily News,
25 Jan. 2025
-
And Capitol surveillance footage shows police trying to recover the baton from Clayton, whose right hand makes contact with one of the officers.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
In this design, the gold metal curtain rods match the gold chains on the chandelier and complement the green accents beautifully.—
Macie Stump,
Southern Living,
26 Jan. 2025
-
Clarke, armed with a metal rod, assaulted and killed Shirley, 37, and Ragsdale, 66, and seriously injured a man and a woman sleeping together, Miami police say.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The Giants will have no shortage of candidates to round out the pitching staff on Opening Day, especially after signing Justin Verlander to join a rotation that also includes Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Jordan Hicks.—
Andrew Baggarly,
The Athletic,
30 Jan. 2025
-
The City of Charlotte paid nearly $64,500 to send the majority of the City Council and six city staff members on the same trip.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near shillelagh
Cite this Entry
“Shillelagh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shillelagh. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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