Showing results for "axe"

• a variation of ax.

axe

British  

/ æks /

noun

1. a hand tool with one side of its head forged and sharpened to a cutting edge, used for felling trees, splitting timber, etc See also hatchet

2. 1. an ulterior motive

   2. a grievance

   3. a pet subject

3. informal

   1. dismissal, esp from employment; the sack (esp in the phrase get the axe )

   2. severe cutting down of expenditure, esp the removal of unprofitable sections of a public service

4. slang any musical instrument, esp a guitar or horn

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verb

1. to chop or trim with an axe

2. informal to dismiss (employees), restrict (expenditure or services), or terminate (a project)

Etymology

Origin of axe

Old English æx; related to Old Frisian axa, Old High German acchus, Old Norse öx, Latin ascia, Greek axinē

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

axe

It reports that persistently high fuel prices are forcing carriers to cut flights, axe costs and delay payments on leased aircraft.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

The co-creator of Drag Race has said there is a "crisis of representation" on TV, following the BBC's decision to axe the UK edition of the show.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

“Grateful to pick up the axe, and honored by the fans who made this story legendary.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026

Ole Miss is far from the only institution with an axe to grind with Kiffin.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

To Gimli son of Glóin,” she said, “give his Lady’s greeting. Lock-bearer, wherever thou goest my thought goes with thee. But have a care to lay thine axe to the right tree!”

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

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Related Words

• consume
• crush
• damage
• dismantle
• end
• eradicate
• gut
• impair
• kill
• maim
• ravage
• raze
• ruin
• sabotage
• shatter
• smash
• smash-up
• wipe out
• wreck

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