noun
axe
aks
noun
1
A tool with a heavy blade on one side of the head and a long handle, used for chopping wood.
"She used an axe to split firewood for the winter."
2
figurative: A drastic cut, cancellation, or dismissal.
"The show finally fell victim to the network's axe after three seasons."
verb
1
To cancel, cut, or dismiss something or someone abruptly.
"The company axed hundreds of jobs last quarter."
How to Use Axe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe chopping tool, or (figuratively) a sudden cut, cancellation, or firing.
UK vs US
British English prefers "axe"; American English often uses "ax".
Easily confused with
Common pairings
axe jobs
the axe fell
wield an axe
grind an axe
Word Forms
axed past tense, axed past tense, axes plural, axes plural, axes singular, axes singular
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She used an _____ to split firewood for the winter.
Etymology
From Old English æx, from Proto-Germanic *akwisī, ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "sharp, pointed".