sledge

noun

1. A heavy, long handled maul or hammer used to drive stakes, wedges, etc.

   “[based on information from Major Hill, Master of the Silver Mills, in 1662, describing silver mining in Cardiganshire] They dig the Oar thus; One holds a little Picque, or Punch of Iron, having a long Handle of Wood which they call a Gad; Another with a great Iron Hammer, or Sledge, drives it into the Vein.”

   “Sledge hammers are only used for heavy-duty persuading when working on vehicles or machinery.”

2. A low sled drawn by animals, typically on snow, ice or grass.

   “The sledge ran far better upon the ice; I cannot say the same for the dogs.”

   “The sledges of the Esquimaux are of large size, varying from six and a half to nine and even eleven feet in length, and from eighteen inches to two feet in breadth.”

3. (British)any type of sled or sleigh.

   “Aged wore out Coal-Horses, which after some time Wrought you will have, may serve turn for Sledge-Horses.”

   “Ty'd upon the Sledge, a Papist and a Protestant in front, being two very disparate and antipathetick Companions, was a very ridiculous Science of Cruelty, even worst than Death it self (says he).”

   “There are also Winter Paralympic Games with Alpine and Nordic events, as well as sledge hockey - a form of ice hockey using a seated sledge.”

   “For anyone who can recall their schooldays, when you used to get snow every winter, flying down hills on a polythene bag the thickness of an atom, and a lovely old sledge your Grandpa made for you (the only Christmas it DIDN'T snow),...”

4. A card game resembling all fours and seven-up; old sledge.
5. (Australia)An instance of sledging.

   “Now that's what I call a sledge.”

verb

1. To hit with a sledgehammer.

   “The rapid and violent exertion of smiths, mightily sledging the glowing iron masses of their furnaces.”

   “When I inquired the reason of this wire being used in the construction of the safe, I was told it was to prevent the doors being broken by either sledging or wedging.”

2. To drag or draw a sledge.

   “It should be remembered, that these explorations were nearly all made by our seamen and officers on foot, dragging sledges, on which were piled tents, provision, fuel for cooking, and raiment. This sledging was brought to perfection by Captain M'Clintock.”

   “Sledging en route to Mt. Logan on the 1925 first ascent. [caption to photo of four men dragging a sledge]”

3. To ride, travel with or transport in a sledge.

   “He was also to initiate me in the American pastime of sleighing, or sledging.”

   “When "the great fen or moor" which washed the city walls on the north was frozen over, sliding, sledging, and skating were the sports of crowds.”

   “2006, Godfrey (EDT) Baldacchino, Extreme Tourism: Lessons from the World's Cold Water Islands Some of these may be closely associated with the day-to-day lifestyle of such communities — marine activities (fishing, wildlife viewing), mountain activities (abseiling, climbing, hunting) or winter sports (dog sledging).”

4. (Australia)To verbally insult or abuse an opponent in order to distract them (considered unsportsmanlike).

   “I've never been one to sledge on the field. I was normally too tired to be bothered, but the one time I did, didn't I cop it.”

   “Batteries of fast bowlers softened batsmen up with short-pitched bowling, while fielders tried to disturb their concentration with a running commentary of insults commonly known as sledging.”

   “Then, all these...government legislators...would be able to totally concentrate on their roles and functions, without being entangled in interparty sledging and squabbles.”

   “The 2000 Code of the Laws of Cricket includes new anti-sledging provisions.”

   “"Bloody hell even their sledging is now shite!!!" he sledged.”

name

1. A surname.