knob-stick, noun

kierie.
1822 W.J. Burchell Trav. I. 354A kéeri (a short knob-stick) in his hand.
1839 W.C. Harris Wild Sports 167The dexterity of the Matabili in the use of the knob-stick is also wonderful: they rarely miss a partridge or a guinea-fowl on the wing.
1846 R. Moffat Missionary Labours 95Their weapons were war-axes of various shapes, spears, and clubs; into many of their knob-sticks were inserted pieces of iron resembling a sickle, but more curved, sometimes to a circle, and sharp on the outside.
1867 S. Turner in D. Child Portrait of Pioneer (1980) When his mother complained to him..he knocked her down with a knob-stick.
1885 H. Rider Haggard King Solomon’s Mines (1972) 46Presently a very tall, handsome-looking man..very light-coloured for a Zulu, entered, and, lifting his knob-stick by way of salute, squatted himself down in the corner on his haunches.
1894 B. Mitford Curse of Clement Waynflete (1896) 241The warrior’s heavy knobstick, hurled with deadly precision.
1898 B. Mitford Induna’s Wife 114For arms he had a broad assegai and three or four casting ones, and a great short-handled knob-stick, which he had brought especially for me.
1934 Sunday Times 11 Feb. (Swart)He then got up and struck the deceased a blow on the head with a knob stick.
1958 A. Delius (tr. of D.J. Opperman) in R.M. Macnab Poets in S. Afr. 76Three outas from the High Karroo..Took knob-sticks, and three bundles with and set forth along a jackal path.
1961 H.F. Sampson White-Faced Huts 22I drove the accused to the Police at Bizana and made them carry the knobsticks and the assegais.
1989 Advertisement, Sun InternationalSwazi warriors carry shields, knobsticks, spears and battle axes as part of their traditional dress.
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Knobnose, nounn.knobthorn, nounn.
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