take up cudgels

verb

To begin vehemently supporting a cause.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbtake up cudgels (third-person singular simple present takes up cudgels, present participle taking up cudgels, simple past took up cudgels, past participle taken up cudgels)

present singular third person takes up cudgels · participle present taking up cudgels · past took up cudgels · participle past taken up cudgels

  1. To begin vehemently supporting a cause.
Cite this entry
APA

take up cudgels. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20up%20cudgels

MLA

“take up cudgels.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20up%20cudgels. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “take up cudgels,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20up%20cudgels.

Source: take up cudgels on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.