/ klʌb; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
FOR ACTIVITY / SPORT
1.
[ C +sing./pl. v . ] (especially in compounds) a group of people who meet together regularly, for a particular activity, sport, etc. :
a golf / tennis, etc. club
a chess / film / movie, etc. club
to join / belong to a club
The club has / have voted to admit 50 new members.
—see also fan club , youth club
2.
[ C ] the building or rooms that a particular club uses :
We had lunch at the golf club.
the club bar
—see also country club , health club
3.
[ C +sing./pl. v . ] ( BrE ) a professional sports organization that includes the players, managers, owners and members :
Manchester United Football Club
MUSIC / DANCING
4.
[ C ] a place where people, especially young people, go and listen to music, dance, etc. :
a jazz club
the club scene in Newcastle
—see also clubbing , nightclub , strip club
SOCIAL
5.
[ C +sing./pl. v . ] (especially in Britain) an organization and a place where people, usually men only, can meet together socially or stay :
He's a member of several London clubs.
SELLING BOOKS / CDS
6.
[ C ] an organization that sells books, CDs, etc. cheaply to its members :
a music club
—see also book club
WEAPON
7.
[ C ] a heavy stick with one end thicker than the other, that is used as a weapon
—see also billy club
IN GOLF
8.
[ C ] = golf club
IN CARD GAMES
9.
clubs [ pl. , U ] one of the four set of cards (called suits ) in a pack / deck of cards. The clubs have a black design shaped like three black leaves on a short stem :
the five / queen / ace of clubs
10.
[ C ] one card from the suit called clubs :
I played a club.
•
IDIOMS
- be in the club
—more at join verb
■ verb ( -bb- )
1.
[ vn ] to hit a person or an animal with a heavy stick or similar object :
The victim was clubbed to death with a baseball bat.
2.
[ v ] go clubbing ( BrE , informal ) to spend time dancing and drinking in nightclubs
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- club together
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun senses 1 to 6 and verb sense 2 early 17th cent. (as a verb): formed obscurely from club in the sense to hit someone with a stick or heavy object.
noun senses 7 to 10 and verb sense 1 Middle English : from Old Norse clubba , variant of klumba ; related to clump .