Poleaxe

Quick meaning: Poleaxe is a noun meaning An ax having both a blade and a hammer face; used to slaughter cattle.

Meaning

An ax having both a blade and a hammer face; used to slaughter cattle.

More Meanings

1. (transitive) To fell someone with, or as if with, a poleaxe.
2. (transitive, figurative) To astonish; to shock or surprise utterly.
3. (transitive, figurative) To stymie, thwart, cripple, paralyze.
4. (historical) A long-handled battle axe, being a combination of ax, hammer and pike.

Example Sentences

Lisa Griffin, who runs Brew Rock and an Irish pub in nearby Benidorm, was as poleaxed by the announcement as her customers were.

After a lacklustre campaign that has failed to grapple with Germany’s looming problems, the world should expect post-election coalition talks to last for months, poleaxing European politics while they drag on.

Word Forms

• poleaxes
• poleax
• pole-axe
• pollaxe
• pollax
• polax
• poleaxing
• poleaxed

Synonyms for poleaxe

Depending on context, synonyms include poleax.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include poleax, boar-spear, beam, bullock, cattleprod, tongue.

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