\Club\, n. [CF. Icel. klubba, klumba, club, klumbuf?ir a
clubfoot, SW. klubba club, Dan. klump lump, klub a club, G.
klumpen clump, kolben club, and E. clump.]
1. A heavy staff of wood, usually tapering, and wielded the
   hand; a weapon; a cudgel.
         But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs; Rome
         and her rats are at the point of battle. --Shak.
2. [Cf. the Spanish name bastos, and Sp. baston staff, club.]
   Any card of the suit of cards having a figure like the
   trefoil or clover leaf. (pl.) The suit of cards having
   such figure.
3. An association of persons for the promotion of some common
   object, as literature, science, politics, good fellowship,
   etc.; esp. an association supported by equal assessments
   or contributions of the members.
         They talked At wine, in clubs, of art, of politics.
                                               --Tennyson.
         He [Goldsmith] was one of the nine original members
         of that celebrated fraternity which has sometimes
         been called the Literary Club, but which has always
         disclaimed that epithet, and still glories in the
         simple name of the Club.              --Macaulay.
4. A joint charge of expense, or any person's share of it; a
   contribution to a common fund.
         They laid down the club.              --L'Estrange.
         We dined at a French house, but paid ten shillings
         for our part of the club.             --Pepys.
{Club law}, government by violence; lynch law; anarchy.
   --Addison.
{Club moss} (Bot.), an evergreen mosslike plant, much used in
   winter decoration. The best know species is {Lycopodium
   clavatum}, but other {Lycopodia} are often called by this
   name. The spores form a highly inflammable powder.
{Club root} (Bot.), a disease of cabbages, by which the roots
   become distorted and the heads spoiled.
{Club topsail} (Naut.), a kind of gaff topsail, used mostly
   by yachts having a fore-and-aft rig. It has a short
   ``club'' or ``jack yard'' to increase its spread.

\Club\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Clubbed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Clubbing}.]
1. To beat with a club.
2. (Mil.) To throw, or allow to fall, into confusion.
         To club a battalion implies a temporary inability in
         the commanding officer to restore any given body of
         men to their natural front in line or column.
                                               --Farrow.
3. To unite, or contribute, for the accomplishment of a
   common end; as, to club exertions.
4. To raise, or defray, by a proportional assesment; as, to
   club the expense.
{To club a musket} (Mil.), to turn the breach uppermost, so
   as to use it as a club.

\Club\, v. i.
1. To form a club; to combine for the promotion of some
   common object; to unite.
         Till grosser atoms, tumbling in the stream Of fancy,
         madly met, and clubbed into a dream.  --Dryden.
2. To pay on equal or proportionate share of a common charge
   or expense; to pay for something by contribution.
         The owl, the raven, and the bat, Clubbed for a
         feather to his hat.                   --Swift.
3. (Naut.) To drift in a current with an anchor out.