I. ˈtrən-chən noun
Etymology: Middle English tronchoun, from Anglo-French trunchun, from Vulgar Latin * truncion-, *truncio, from Latin truncus trunk
Date: 14th century
1. : a shattered spear or lance
2.
a. obsolete : club , bludgeon
b. : baton 2
c. : a police officer's billy club
II. transitive verb
Date: circa 1598
archaic : to beat with a truncheon