A maul (or mall) is a heavy, long-handled hammer used for splitting a piece of wood along its grain. Traditionally, mauls have a wedge-shaped head, but some modern versions have conical heads or swiveling sub-wedges. The original maul resembles an axe but with a broader head.

To maul can also mean:

• to injure by or as if by beating. For example: The bear mauled the explorer. The critics mauled the director's first effort.
• to handle roughly. For example: The package was mauled by the careless messenger.
• to split (wood) with a maul and wedge.