maul
/mɔl/
noun
- A heavy hammer or tool used for driving stakes, splitting wood, or breaking things apart.
- He used a maul to split the logs for the fireplace.
- The blacksmith struck the hot iron with a heavy maul.
- A wooden maul is safer than an axe for driving fence posts.
- A situation in rugby where players from both teams are on their feet and pushing against each other around a player who is holding the ball.
- He passed the ball out of the maul to the scrum-half.
- The team formed a maul and drove the ball toward the try line.
- The referee blew the whistle when the maul collapsed.
Synonyms
verb
- To attack or injure someone or something by tearing, biting, or hitting roughly, often with claws or teeth.
- The lioness mauled the wildebeest during the hunt.
- Our dog escaped the yard and mauled the neighbor's cat.
- The bear mauled the hiker who got too close to its cubs.
- To handle or treat something roughly or carelessly, causing damage.
- The package was mauled by the postal service and arrived torn open.
- The movers mauled the antique furniture during the delivery.
- He mauled the book by folding pages and spilling coffee on it.
- To criticize someone or something very harshly and severely.
- Critics mauled the director's latest film in their reviews.
- The politician was mauled by the press for his controversial comments.
- Her performance was mauled by the judges on the talent show.
Antonyms