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
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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
-
In covert gatherings across California, raw goat or cow milk is mixed with cane alcohol and sugars to make pajaretes.—
Ryan Fonseca,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Feb. 2025
-
But you cane experience a bit of Turner and Constable’s London by making a visit to the Royal Academy of Arts, where both artists studied, although Turner earned the Academy’s prestigious designation of Royal Academician in 1802; Constable was elected years later in 1829.—
Catherine Sabino,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Eventually, Shaquille O’Neal and Bryant took the baton with the Lakers and passed it off to LeBron James.—
Evan Webeck,
The Mercury News,
14 Feb. 2025
-
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have willingly taken the baton from Brady and the Patriots as the NFL's latest dynasty.—
Jim Reineking,
USA TODAY,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Breaks in long bones, like the femur in your thigh, can be relatively straightforward to repair with a rod.—
Lydia Denworth,
Scientific American,
18 Feb. 2025
-
The ferro rod is stored inside the bottom of one leg, while the other leg is capped by a carabiner.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Leaders must recognize and validate the emotions of their staff and communities, acknowledging the human cost of a crisis rather than focusing solely on operational recovery.—
Tom Rogers,
Newsweek,
22 Feb. 2025
-
During the strike, most courtrooms were dark and records departments were largely closed to the public due to the lack of staff.—
Jakob Rodgers,
The Mercury News,
22 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shillelagh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shillelagh. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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