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ax
ax
/ aks/
(also axe)
•
n.
1.
a tool typically used for chopping wood, usually a steel blade attached at a right angle to a wooden handle.
∎ fig.
a measure intended to reduce costs drastically, esp. one that involves elimination of staff:
thirty workers are facing the ax in the assembly department.
2.
inf.
a musical instrument, esp. a jazz musician's saxophone or a bass guitar.
•
v. [tr.]
1.
end, cancel, or dismiss suddenly and ruthlessly:
the company is axing 125 jobs.
∎
reduce (costs or services) drastically.
2.
cut or strike with an ax, esp. violently or destructively:
the door had been axed by the firefighters.
PHRASES:
have an ax to grind
have a self-serving reason for doing or being involved in something:
she joined the board because she had an ax to grind.
ax |
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Cite this article
"ax." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ax." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-ax.html "ax." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-ax.html |
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ax
ax, axe. An axe was thrown by Tuirbe Trágmar from his Hill of Axe in the full of floodtide as a means of forbidding the sea to come beyond it. In the story Fled Bricrenn [Briccriu's Feast], the churl Cráebruad (Cú Roí in disguise) challenges the Ulster heroes to a beheading contest with an axe, a challenge which only Cúchulainn will accept.
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Cite this article
JAMES MacKILLOP. "ax." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JAMES MacKILLOP. "ax." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-ax.html JAMES MacKILLOP. "ax." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-ax.html |
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ax
ax
•axe (US ax), Backs, Bax, fax, flax, lax, max, pax, Sachs, sax, saxe, tax, wax
•co-ax • addax • Fairfax • Ceefax
•Halifax • Telefax • Filofax • banjax
•Ajax
•pickaxe (US pickax) • gravlax
•gravadlax • poleaxe • toadflax
•parallax
•battleaxe (US battleax)
•minimax • climax • Betamax • anthrax
•hyrax
•borax, storax, thorax
•syntax • surtax • beeswax • earwax
•Berks, Lourenço Marques, Marks, Marx, Parks, Sparks
•annex, convex, ex, flex, hex, perplex, Rex, sex, specs, Tex, Tex-Mex, vex
•ibex • index • codex • tubifex
•spinifex • pontifex • Telex • triplex
•simplex • multiplex
•ilex, silex
•complex • duplex • circumflex • Amex
•annexe • Kleenex • apex • Tipp-Ex
•haruspex • perspex • Pyrex
•Durex, Lurex, murex
•Middlesex • unisex • Semtex • latex
•cortex, Gore-tex, vortex
•vertex • Jacques
•breeks, idée fixe, maxixe, Weeks
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Cite this article
"ax." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ax." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-ax.html "ax." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-ax.html |
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