baton

baton
    n 1: a thin tapered rod used by a conductor to lead an orchestra
         or choir [syn: {baton}, {wand}]
    2: a short stout club used primarily by policemen [syn:
       {truncheon}, {nightstick}, {baton}, {billy}, {billystick},
       {billy club}]
    3: a short staff carried by some officials to symbolize an
       office or an authority
    4: a hollow metal rod that is wielded or twirled by a drum major
       or drum majorette
    5: a hollow cylinder passed from runner to runner in a relay
       race
    

Baton \Bat"on\ (b[a^]t"[u^]n, F. b[aum]`t[^o]N"; 277), n. [F.
   b[^a]ton. See {Baston}.]
   1. A staff or truncheon, used for various purposes; as, the
      baton of a field marshal; the baton of a conductor in
      musical performances.
      [1913 Webster]

            He held the baton of command.         --Prescott.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Her.) An ordinary with its ends cut off, borne sinister
      as a mark of bastardy, and containing one fourth in
      breadth of the bend sinister; -- called also {bastard
      bar}. See {Bend sinister}.
      [1913 Webster]
    

227 Moby Thesaurus words for "baton":
      Malacca cane, achievement, alerion, alpenstock, animal charge,
      annulet, argent, armorial bearings, armory, arms, aspersion,
      attaint, azure, badge, badge of infamy, badge of office, badges,
      bandeau, bar, bar sinister, bastardism, bastardy, bat, bearings,
      bend, bend sinister, billet, billy, billy club, black eye,
      black mark, blazon, blazonry, blot, bludgeon, blur, bordure, brand,
      brassard, broad arrow, button, cadency mark, caduceus, cane,
      canton, cap and gown, censure, chain, chain of office, champain,
      chaplet, charge, chevron, chief, class ring, club, coat of arms,
      cockade, cockatrice, collar, coronet, crescent, crest, crook,
      crosier, cross, cross moline, cross-staff, crown, crutch,
      crutch-stick, decoration, device, diapason, difference,
      differencing, disparagement, dress, eagle, emblems, ensigns,
      ermine, ermines, erminites, erminois, escutcheon, falcon, fasces,
      fess, fess point, field, figurehead, file, flanch, fleur-de-lis,
      fret, fur, fusil, garland, gavel, griffin, gules, gyron,
      hammer and sickle, handstaff, hatchment, helmet, heraldic device,
      heraldry, honor point, illegitimacy, illegitimateness, impalement,
      impaling, imputation, inescutcheon, insignia, label, lapel pin,
      lion, lituus, livery, lozenge, mace, mantle, mantling,
      mark of Cain, markings, marshaling, martlet, mascle, medal, metal,
      metronome, monochord, mortarboard, motto, mullet, music stand,
      mute, nightstick, nombril point, octofoil, old school tie, onus,
      or, ordinary, orle, pale, paly, pastoral staff, paterissa, pean,
      pheon, pillorying, pin, pitch pipe, point champain, portfolio,
      purpure, quarter, quartering, quarterstaff, reflection, regalia,
      reprimand, reproach, rhythmometer, ring, rod, rod of office, rose,
      sable, saltire, scepter, school ring, scutcheon, shamrock, shield,
      shillelagh, sigillography, skull and crossbones, slur, smear,
      smirch, smudge, smutch, sonometer, sphragistics, spot,
      spread eagle, staff, stain, stave, stick, stigma, stigmatism,
      stigmatization, subordinary, swagger stick, swanking stick,
      swastika, taint, tarnish, tartan, tenne, thistle, tie, tincture,
      tone measurer, torse, tressure, truncheon, tuning bar, tuning fork,
      tuning pipe, unicorn, uniform, vair, verge, vert, walking stick,
      wand, wand of office, war club, wreath, yale