Quidditch
Quidditch

Bludger Backbeat

Commentary

Etymology

Bludger, as the word is used in Quidditch, may have derived from the English word bludgeon, meaning a "thick stick with a heavy end, used as a weapon" or "to beat (someone) repeatedly with a bludgeon or other heavy object" (Oxford English Dictionary). Alternatively, in Australian slang, a bludger is a lazy or idle person who avoids work (Oxford English Dictionary).

Although a backbeat is being used in Quidditch to illustrate that the Beaters are beating (hitting) the Bludger backwards, it is also a musical term denoting a strong accent on an unaccented beat of the bar (Oxford English Dictionary).

Notes

This move from the modern Quidditch game is described in the book Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp (QA).

Lexicon list of Quidditch equipment and accessories

From the Web

WizardingWorld.com (Pottermore) features:

Harry Potter Wiki: Bludger

Pensieve (Comments)

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