maul Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a heavy long-handled hammer used to drive stakes or wedges
    sledge; sledgehammer.
  2. verb split (wood) with a maul and wedges
  3. verb injure badly by beating
    mangle.

WordNet

Maul noun
Etymology
See Mall a hammer.
Definitions
  1. A heavy wooden hammer or beetle. Written also mall.
Maul transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Mauled ; present participle & verbal noun Mauling
Definitions
  1. To beat and bruise with a heavy stick or cudgel; to wound in a coarse manner.
    Meek modern faith to murder, hack, and maul. Pope.
  2. To injure greatly; to do much harm to.
    It mauls not only the person misrepreseted, but him also to whom he is misrepresented. South.

Webster 1913