pole·ax or
pole·axe (pōl
ăks
)
n.► An ax having a hammer face opposite the blade, used to slaughter cattle.
► A medieval battle-ax consisting of a long shaft ending in an ax or a combination of an ax, hammer, and pick.
tr.v. pole·axed, pole·ax·ing, pole·ax·es To strike or fell with or as if with a poleax: “When a gang of doves circled above the flowing water and swooped in to feed, he poleaxed the leader with a clean head shot” (William Hoffman).
[TahlilGaran] American Dictionary ▲
poleax [Middle English, alteration (influenced by
pole,
long piece of wood), of
pollax poll,
head; see
poll +
ax,
ax; see
ax1.]
[TahlilGaran] American Dictionary ▲