axe

1 of 2

noun

variants or
plural axes
1
: a cutting tool that consists of a heavy edged head fixed to a handle with the edge parallel to the handle and that is used especially for felling trees and chopping and splitting wood
2
: a hammer with a sharp edge for dressing (see dress entry 1 sense 6e) or spalling stone
3
informal
a
: removal from office or release from employment : dismissal
usually used with the
Employees with poor evaluations got the axe.
Trump quickly gave him the ax [=fired him] for his incompetence.Laura Petrecca
b
: abrupt elimination or severe reduction of something
Unlimited expense accounts, signing bonuses, and office plants—all are getting the ax [=being cut or eliminated] thanks to corporate cost-cutting measures.Amanda Hinnant
No party was brave enough to offend its supporters by taking an axe to [=severely reducing] expenditure.The Economist
4
slang : any of several musical instruments (such as a guitar or a saxophone)

axe

2 of 2

verb

variants or ax
axed; axing; axes

transitive verb

1
a
: to shape, dress (see dress entry 1 sense 6e), or trim with an axe
axe stone
b
: to chop, split, or sever with an axe
axe branches from a tree
2
informal : to remove abruptly (as from employment or from a budget)
The TV program was axed from the new schedule.
Phrases
axe to grind
: an ulterior often selfish underlying purpose
claims that he has no axe to grind in criticizing the proposed law

Examples of axe in a Sentence

Noun the company was hemorrhaging money, so 700 employees would soon be given the ax Verb The boss told him that he had been axed. the boss will ax anyone who leaks company secrets
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Mini escape games and axe throwing round out the fun. Brittany Anas, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 In the next scene, the axe comes down on poor Amanda Thirsk, who is given the dressing down of all dressing downs by the queen’s private secretary. Jack King, Vulture, 20 Sep. 2024 At six feet six, with woodcutter’s biceps, Stanton can chop baseballs with such force that the sound resonates like an axe to a melon. Nicholas Dawidoff, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2024 How much does Satya Nadella earn While Nadella personally requested a 50% axe to one aspect of his total compensation, his overall package increased by more than $30 million compared to a year ago. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024 Oliver then grabs an axe and swings it, smashing the TV. Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024 Casey had a long history of criminal record as he was arrested for beating his brother with an axe sledgehammer in 2012. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 26 Sep. 2024 Oliver raises the axe high in the air, shattering a chandelier. Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024 The killer or killers lifted the axe so high for the initial blow that a piece of the ceiling was impacted, according to the magazine. Sean Neumann, People.com, 13 Oct. 2024
Verb
Soon after, Top Gear was axed by the BBC after over four decades on television. Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Nov. 2024 Payne was axed from the show but, undaunted, returned to audition again two years later. August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024 To be sure, Shell has also axed some fossil fuel holdings, such as agreeing to sell its Bukom oil refinery in Singapore. Byprarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 23 Oct. 2024 Jassy has axed several projects, including a telehealth service, video-calling device for kids and a roving Treasure Truck. Annie Palmer, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2024 In a timely reminder that cancelations are never far away at Netflix HQ, the Jeff Goldblum-starrer was axed earlier this week, coming as a surprise to all and sundry. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2024 Likewise Howard University axed its relationship with Combs after a video appearing to show the rapper attacking Cassie in 2016 was released online. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2024 Here's what fans can expect to see, from a second entrance to axing third-party ticket vendors. Arizona Republic, The Arizona Republic, 26 Oct. 2024 Perhaps cricket can stomach that axing, but potentially not being part of the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, will sting. Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English æcs; akin to Old High German ackus ax, Latin ascia, Greek axinē

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of axe was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near axe

Cite this Entry

“Axe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axe. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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