A military weapon resembling a threshing-flail in construction, but usually of iron or strengthened with iron, and often having the striking part…

? A (leaden) ball attached to a strap used as a striking weapon.

Hence used quasi-Historical as the name of a supposed ancient instrument of torture. Also as the name of a medieval weapon (see quot. 1870).

A weapon consisting of a heavy ball set with spikes and connected to a handle by a length of chain; a morgenstern, a morning star. Cf. flail, n. 2…

A weapon resembling a flail; a kind of cudgel.

A stick or truncheon weighted at one end with lead and intended for use in self-defence. Cf. cosh, n.3 a. Now historical.

Originally and chiefly U.S. A short, flexible lead-filled truncheon; (also) an improvised weapon resembling this. Now in form blackjack.

A shot, piece of metal, stone, etc., fastened to a strap or thong, and used as a weapon (cf. quot. 1848).

slang (chiefly Australian and New Zealand). A club; a cosh.

A weapon consisting of a heavy weight wrapped in a cloth or equivalent and used as a cosh; a blackjack. ? Obsolete.

Rogues' slang. A heavy weight on a string; a slung-shot.

colloquial. A cosh, a bludgeon; = black jack, n.2 5.

A Japanese weapon consisting of two hardwood sticks joined together by a chain, strap, or silk cords. In later use also: the art of throwing a…

= nunchaku, n.