- See Also:
- - awoke
  - awoken
  - AWOL
  - Awolowo
  - awry
  - AWS
  - ax
  - ax job
  - Axa
  - axanthopsia
  - axe
  - axel
  - Axel Heiberg
  - Axelrod
  - axeman
  - axenic
  - axes
  - axi-
  - axial
  - axial skeleton
  - axial-flow
- Recent searches:
- View All

axe

UK:^*^*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈæks/US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(aks)

Inflections of 'axe' (n): npl: axes

Inflections of 'axe' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

axes: v 3rd person singular

axing: v pres p

axed: v past

axed: v past p

axe (aks),USA pronunciation n., pl. ax•es (ak′siz),USA pronunciation v., axed, ax•ing.

Buildingax.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

axe, US ax /æks/ n ( pl axes)

a hand tool with one side of its head forged and sharpened to a cutting edge, used for felling trees, splitting timber, etc
an axe to grind ⇒
- an ulterior motive
- a grievance
- a pet subject
the axe ⇒ informal
- dismissal, esp from employment; the sack (esp in the phrase get the axe)
- Brit severe cutting down of expenditure, esp the removal of unprofitable sections of a public service

vb (transitive)

to chop or trim with an axe
informal to dismiss (employees), restrict (expenditure or services), or terminate (a project)

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

ax or axe/æks/USA pronunciation n., pl. ax•es /ˈæksɪz/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]

Buildinga tool with a blade on a handle, used for hewing, chopping, splitting, etc.
Informal Termsthe ax,
- a sudden dismissal from a job, task, etc.:The new president gave her the ax.
- any sudden removal or ending (of a project, etc.):The new tax plan got the ax in Congress.

v. [~ + object]

to shape or trim with an ax.
Informal Termsto dismiss, restrict, or remove, esp. unfairly and suddenly.

Idioms

Idioms have an ax to grind, to have a personal or selfish motive:I have no ax to grind, so I'm willing to listen to all sides.

ax (aks),USA pronunciation n., pl. ax•es (ak′siz),USA pronunciation v., axed, ax•ing.
n.

Buildingan instrument with a bladed head on a handle or helve, used for hewing, cleaving, chopping, etc.
Music and Dance[Jazz Slang.]any musical instrument.
have an ax to grind, to have a personal or selfish motive:His interest may be sincere, but I suspect he has an ax to grind.
the ax, [Informal.]
- dismissal from employment:to get the ax.
- expulsion from school.
- rejection by a lover, friend, etc.:His girlfriend gave him the ax.
- any usually summary removal or curtailment.

v.t.

to shape or trim with an ax.
to chop, split, destroy, break open, etc., with an ax:The firemen had to ax the door to reach the fire.
Informal Termsto dismiss, restrict, or destroy brutally, as if with an ax:The main office axed those in the field who didn't meet their quota. Congress axed the budget.Also, axe.

Indo-European *ag-s-
*acsiā), Greek axí̄nē;
Gmc *akwiz-, akuz-, aksi-
bef. 1000; Middle English; ax(e), ex(e), Old English æx, æces; akin to Gothic aquizi, Old Norse øx, ǫx, Old High German acc(h)us, a(c)kus (German Axt), Middle High German plural exa

ax′like′, adj.

ax-,

var. of axi-, esp. before a vowel.

ax.,

axiom.

ax•es¹ (ak′sēz),USA pronunciation n.

pl. of axis ¹.

ax•es² (ak′siz),USA pronunciation n.

pl. of ax or axe.

'axe' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

Acheulian - alpenstock - axeman - axes - battle-axe - battle-axe block - chop - chopper - fasces - hack - haft - halberd - hatchet - helve - hew - ice axe - kerf - oryx - pelican - pickaxe - poleaxe - quebracho - saw - shaft - tomahawk - twibill - with - ax - battle-ax - broadax - hand ax - pickax

In Lists: Things with handles, Cutting tools, Farm equipment, more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "axe" in the title:

A German will thrash wheat out of the head of an axe - War and Peace
A gold and silver axe
a supernatural visitor carrying an axe
an axe to grind
an axe to grind
An axe-grinder
And that's where the axe fell
Axe is home
axe or ax
axe with parallel side for two-thirds of the length - use of "for"
axe you a question
axe-slash
Collective substantive for Bucket, Cooking pot, Axe
ditch plans to axe
entertain own dark schemes vs. have own axe to grind
famous axe
get the bird / get the axe (BrE)
holding a battle axe on his hand
jump the axe
Old axe...
put an axe through one's skull
put the axe in the helve
Skittles to Noah's axe
Sound of an axe striking a tree
That pain is like an axe <that><which> which chops at my heart
The children told the mother about the suspicious man, about his large axe
the turkey got the axe
This hammer is more used than that axe.
To have an axe to grind
to spare the axe
more...

Visit the English Only Forum.
Help WordReference: Ask in the forums yourself.

Look up "axe" at Merriam-Webster
Look up "axe" at dictionary.com

Go to Preferences page and choose from different actions for taps or mouse clicks.

URL: https://www.wordreference.com/definition/axe

⇱ axe - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

axe