subs. (common).—A knuckle-guard of iron or brass which, in striking, protects the hand from injury and adds force to a blow.
1858. Times, 15 Feb. KNUCKLEDUSTER … a formidable American instrument, made of brass, which slips easily on to the four fingers of the hand, and having a projecting surface, across the knuckles, is calculated, in a pugilistic encounter to inflict serious injury on the person against whom it is directed.
1861. G. A. SALA, Twice Round the Clock, Noon, par. 12. A bunch of skeleton keys, a KNUCKLE-DUSTER, and a piece of wax candle, all articles sufficiently indicative of the housebreaker’s stock-in-trade.
1866. Era, 18 June. Without a moment’s hesitation—except to load a six-barrelled revolver with ball cartridge and to arm himself with a pair of Yankee KNUCKLE-DUSTERS—the intrepid African opened the door of the den.
1872. Standard, ‘Middlesex Sessions Report.’ In another box he found a life-preserver, the end of it being loaded with lead, KNUCKLE-DUSTERS, and other things of the same description.
1877. E. L. LINTON, The World Well Lost, xii. A kind of panic went through the place, and the demand for revolvers and KNUCKLEDUSTERS, iron shutters and bells … surprised the tradesmen.
1883. Daily News, 20 March, p. 6, col. 3. He struck at him in the face with a KNUCKLE-DUSTER he had in his hand.
1887. Daily Chronicle, 8 Dec. Hayzeman stepped from the other side of the road, and struck prosecutor on the nose, the blow, as believed, being given with a KNUCKLE-DUSTER.
1888. J. RUNCIMAN, The Chequers, 84. We were a jovial company: four of us were wondering how they could rob the fifth, and that fifth resolved, quite early in this sèance, to use his KNUCKLE-DUSTER promptly, and to prevent either of the male warblers from getting behind him, at any risk.
1890. Standard, 30 July, p. 3, col. 6. The Prisoner made no reply, but struck him with a KNUCKLE-DUSTER, which he took out of his pocket.
2. (common).—A large, heavy, or over-gaudy ring.
