take up the cudgels

To join in a dispute, especially in defense of a participant.

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Hull	[hʌl]
Baillif	['beilif]
Sophocles	SAHF-u-kleez (English)	Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Chiamaka	-	Western African, Igbo
Heck	-	Scottish
Gawdat	-	Arabic