poleax (redirected from poleaxing)

pole·ax or pole·axe  (plks)

n.

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

2. 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).

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[Middle English, alteration (influenced by pole, long piece of wood) of pollax : poll, head; see poll + ax, ax; see ax¹.]

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"