What does the word cutlass mean in this excerpt from T. S. Eliot's poem Gerontion I was neither at the hot gates Nor fought in the warm rain Nor knee deep in the salt marsh heaving a cutlass?

In this context, the Word "cutlass" refers to a short, heavy sWord often used by sailors. It conveys a sense of being involved in physical or violent activity, suggesting a connection to scenes of battle or conflict.