skull splitter

plural skull splitters · alternative skull-splitter · alternative skullsplitter

1. A severe headache or migraine.

   It was a skull-splitter right enough. [...] Headache's all cleared up.

   2004, Olsen, Theodore V, Blood rage, page 329

   3 more examples

   Indeed, in many villages, the wine store is called Can Vinagre even today; the vinegar house, where wine is sold in the customer's own plastic bottles from great vats of wine, and it is a matter of luck whether you take away an astonishing vintage or a skull-splitter.

   2000, Gunter Beer, Carlos Agustin and Belen Tanago, “From skull-splitters to top wines Binissalem”, in Majorca : culture and life, page 158

   What Andy Eckl of Trumbull, Conn., came down with a skull-splitter in 1997, when he was 5 years old, ad he got no relief until he was 10. He muscled through first and second grade on Advil, but by third grade the pain had spread to his joints [..]

   2004, Geoffrey Cowley and Anne Underwood, “A Disease in Disguise”, in Newsweek, page 62

   If you're lucky you'll get nauseous and sleepy and develop a skull-splitter of a headache. if you're not, the thing will simply explode.

   2004, James, Arlene, Beautician gets million-dollar tip!, page 48

2. slangAny highly potent alcoholic beverage, mixed drink, or knock-off spirit designed to give the drinker a severe hangover.

   You don't want that at this time of day; that's a skull splitter.

   1985, Heinlein, Robert A. (Robert Anson), 1907-1988, Job : a comedy of justice, page 50

3. engineeringA brutal, heavy-hitting armament designed to deliver massive bludgeoning or cleaving force to an enemy's head.