Premise: A melee weapon is any weapon used in direct hand-to-hand combat; by contrast with ranged weapons which act at a distance. The term "melee" originates in the 1640s from the French word "mêlée ", which refers to hand-to-hand combat, a close quarters battle, a brawl, a confused fight, etc. Melee weapons can be broadly divided into three categories:
Hypothesis: A melee weapon is any weapon used in direct hand-to-hand combat; by contrast with ranged weapons which act at a distance. A surprising number of items can be utilised as melee weapons.