I. ˈmȯl noun
Etymology: Middle English malle mace, maul, from Anglo-French mail, from Latin malleus; akin to Old Church Slavic mlatŭ hammer, Latin molere to grind — more at meal
Date: 13th century
: a heavy often wooden-headed hammer used especially for driving wedges ; also : a tool like a sledgehammer with one wedge-shaped end that is used to split wood
II. transitive verb
Date: 13th century
1. : beat , bruise
2. : mangle 1
3. : to handle roughly
• maul·er noun