Word Study
sledgehammer
OXFORD DICTIONARY
sledgehammer, n.
1 a large heavy hammer used to break stone etc.
2 (attrib.) heavy or powerful (a sledgehammer blow).
1 a large heavy hammer used to break stone etc.
2 (attrib.) heavy or powerful (a sledgehammer blow).
Etymology
OE slecg, rel. to SLAY(1)
THESAURUS
sledgehammer
bang, baste, batter, beat, buffet, bulldozer, coercive, drub, flail, flap, forcible, hammer, knock, lambaste, larrup, maul, paste, patter, pelt, pommel, pound, pulverize, pummel, rap, spank, steamroller, strong-arm, thrash, thresh, thump, violent, wallop, whipFor further exploring for "sledgehammer" in Webster Dictionary Online