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definitions

battle-ax

or bat·tle-axe

[bat-l-aks]
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR battle-ax ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a broadax formerly used as a weapon of war.
Slang. a domineering, aggressive, sharp-tempered person, especially a woman.

Origin of battle-ax

1350–1400; Middle English batelax
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for battle-ax

shrew, virago, nag, fury, scold, harpy, hag, harridan, termagant, fishwife

Examples from the Web for battle-ax

Historical Examples of battle-ax

  • I got after his helmet, battle-ax, and family tree, by Jove!

    'Charge It'

    Irving Bacheller

  • Given armor and a battle-ax, and nothing could have stood before him.

    Dwellers in Arcady

    Albert Bigelow Paine

  • Besides the spear a sword or a battle-ax hung at the side of each.

    Sir Nigel

    Arthur Conan Doyle

  • There, he has knocked down the leader of the defenders as if his club had been a battle-ax.

  • In Bontoc the head weapon is a battle-ax, in Quiangan it is a long knife.

    The Bontoc Igorot

    Albert Ernest Jenks