poleaxe

[ pohl-aks ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

poleaxed poleaxingplural: poleaxes [pohl, -ak-siz],

poleaxe

/ ˈpəʊlˌæks /

See battle-axe
another term for battle-axe
a former naval weapon with an axe blade on one side of the handle and a spike on the other
an axe used by butchers to slaughter animals

Origin of poleaxe¹

C14 pollax battle-axe, from poll + axe

The quartos have 'pollax,' the two earliest folios read 'Pollax,' the third 'Polax,' the fourth 'Poleaxe.'

And in this way I suppose you larned how to chop with your little poleaxe.

The Constable wore gilt armour and a plumed helmet, and bore a poleaxe in his hands.

Wretched brutes there at the cattlemarket waiting for the poleaxe to split their skulls open.

What th' butcher done I dinnaw; but annyhow they accused him iv wantin' to poleaxe th' governmint; an' they thrun him into a cell.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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