A large, heavy hammer with a long handle used to break things apart, especially in construction or demolition work.
From Old English 'slecg' (a large hammer) combined with 'hammer.' The word dates back to at least the 1500s and originally referred to any large striking tool used by blacksmiths and builders.
Sledgehammers appear in mythology and folklore as symbols of brute force—from Thor's hammer Mjolnir to the sledgehammer becoming a metaphor for any overwhelming, crushing action. Even today, we use the phrase 'sledgehammer approach' to mean solving problems with overwhelming force rather than finesse.
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