battle-ax
or bat·tle-axe
[bat-l-aks]
- a broadax formerly used as a weapon of war.
- Slang. a domineering, aggressive, sharp-tempered person, especially a woman.
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Origin of battle-ax
1350–1400; Middle English batelax
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for battle-ax
Historical Examples
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 ArcadyAlbert Bigelow Paine
Besides the spear a sword or a battle-ax hung at the side of each.
Sir NigelArthur Conan Doyle
There, he has knocked down the leader of the defenders as if his club had been a battle-ax.
St. George for EnglandG. A. Henty
In Bontoc the head weapon is a battle-ax, in Quiangan it is a long knife.
The Bontoc IgorotAlbert Ernest Jenks