poleax
or pole·axe
[ pohl-aks ]
/ ˈpoʊlˌæks /
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noun, plural pole·ax·es [pohl-ak-siz]. /ˈpoʊlˌæk sɪz/.
a medieval shafted weapon with blade combining ax, hammer, and apical spike, used for fighting on foot.
an ax, usually with a hammer opposite the cutting edge, used in stunning and slaughtering animals.
an ax with both a blade and a hook, formerly used in naval warfare to assist sailors in boarding vessels.
verb (used with object), pole·axed, pole·ax·ing.
to strike down or kill with or as if with a poleax.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use poleax in a sentence
As if poleaxed, the green man fell; and both the adventurers recovered their feet.
The Heads of Apex|Francis FlaggI should simply have been poleaxed and dropped overboard, while the yacht sailed away.
A Coin of Edward VII|Fergus HumeAnd I suppose if we strangled the children and poleaxed the husbands it would leave women free for higher culture.
All Things Considered|G. K. ChestertonThe sentry fell to the ground like a poleaxed steer and lay still.
The Revolt on Venus|Carey Rockwell