pickax

American  

[pik-aks] / ˈpɪkˌæks /

Or pickaxe

noun

plural

pickaxes

1. a pick, especially a mattock.

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verb (used with object)

pickaxed, pickaxing

1. to cut or clear away with a pickax.

verb (used without object)

pickaxed, pickaxing

1. to use a pickax.

Etymology

Origin of pickax

1275–1325; pick ² + ax; replacing Middle English picois < Middle French, Old French; akin to French pic pick ². See pique ¹

Example Sentences

With pickaxes and wheelbarrows, dozens of Palestinian workers in hard hats and high-visibility vests are clearing rubble from the ruins of the Gaza Strip's oldest and largest mosque.

From BBC

For two months he had hiked and climbed those snow.capped peaks in the bitterest winter weather, with only his crampons and pickax for company.

From Literature

Now she knew how to use crampons and a pickax to scale a glacier, and was keenly aware of how cautious one must be around cannibals.

From Literature

The innocent-sounding words “Yes, it’s close enough to walk” can easily lure the unsuspecting tourist into an exhausting day-long climb, requiring supplemental oxygen, crampons, and a pickax.

From Literature

The store offers everything from basic tools to pan for gold in the river, such as pickaxes and scoops, to pinpointers and high-tech metal detectors that can cost thousands of dollars.

From Barron's