poleaxe

American  

[pohl-aks] / ˈpoʊlˌæks /

noun

plural

poleaxes, poleaxed, poleaxing

1. variant of poleax.

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poleaxe British  

/ ˈpəʊlˌæks /

noun

1. another term for battle-axe

2. a former naval weapon with an axe blade on one side of the handle and a spike on the other

3. an axe used by butchers to slaughter animals

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verb

1. (tr) to hit or fell with or as if with a poleaxe

Etymology

Origin of poleaxe

C14 pollax battle-axe, from _poll + _axe

Example Sentences

But all of that is merely the amuse-bouche to the main appeal that “Veep” offers—pure, unadulterated cynicism, offered sparingly in 30-minute doses so as not to poleaxe its audience.

From Salon • Jun. 10, 2015

There were poached rabbits on strings swung around heads, bigger and bigger swords pointed until the hysterical Olivia staggers out with a poleaxe and Rylance-style, usurps them all.

From The Guardian • Oct. 12, 2012

"Ser Rodrik should teach me to use a poleaxe. If I had a poleaxe with a big long haft, Hodor could be my legs. We could be a knight together."

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

The one holding a poleaxe with a spiked ball, Strype considered, represented a Briton; the other, with a halbert, he opined to be a Saxon.

From Old and New London Volume I by Thornbury, Walter

An offensive weapon of our early times, being a poleaxe with a spike at its end.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir