From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtruncheontrun‧cheon /ˈtrʌnʃən/ noun [countable] especially British EnglishSCPPMW a short thick stick that police officers carry as a weapon SYN nightstick American English
Examples from the Corpus
truncheon• More reinforcements - this time with short shields and truncheons.• Therefore flick knives are now in the same category as truncheons and knuckledusters.• Four made a phalanx before the booth, tapping their lead truncheons, their feet splayed like a squad of riot police.• King braved police truncheons, and was assassinated because of his beliefs.• Police at first used rubber truncheons to prevent them, but then stood back.• Holy-o went over and opened them slowly, holding the truncheon.• The police were so astonished they put away their truncheons and led the small man away.Origin truncheon (1200-1300) Old French tronchon “piece broken or cut off, stump”, from Latin truncus; → TRUNK 