To beat or strike repeatedly with a cudgel (a short, thick club).
From 'be-' (meaning to cover with or thoroughly apply) plus 'cudgel' (from Old English 'cycgel', a short wooden club). The verb means to attack repeatedly with such a weapon.
A cudgel is a thug's weapon—short, blunt, brutal—and 'becudgel' captures the thoroughness of a beating because the 'be-' prefix suggests hitting someone all over, completely and relentlessly, which is why it sounds so violent and determined.
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