poleax

pole·axe

or pole·ax  (pōl′ăks′)

n.

1. An axe having a hammer face opposite the blade, used to slaughter cattle.

2. A medieval battle-axe consisting of a long shaft ending in an axe or a combination of an axe, hammer, and pick.

tr.v. pole·axed, pole·ax·ing, pole·ax·es

To strike or fell with or as if with a poleaxe: "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).

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[Middle English, alteration (influenced by pole, long piece of wood) of pollax : poll, head; see poll + ax, axe; see axe.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

pole•ax

(ˈpoʊlˌæks)

n., pl. -ax•es (-ˌæk sɪz)

v. n.

1. a medieval shafted weapon with blade combining ax, hammer, and apical spike, used for fighting on foot.

v.t.

2. to strike down or kill with or as if with a poleax.

[1300–50; Middle English pollax literally, head-ax (see poll, ax); akin to Middle Low German polexe]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

poleax

Past participle: poleaxed
Gerund: poleaxing

Imperative

poleax

poleax

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	poleax - an ax used to slaughter cattle; has a hammer opposite the blade poleaxe ax, axe - an edge tool with a heavy bladed head mounted across a handle
	2.	poleax - a battle ax used in the Middle Ages; a long handled ax and a pick poleaxe battle-ax, battle-axe - a broadax used as a weapon
Verb	1.	poleax - fell with or as if with a poleax poleaxe fell, strike down, cut down, drop - cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow; "strike down a tree"; "Lightning struck down the hikers"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.