Adjacent Words

poleax definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an ax used to slaughter cattle; has a hammer opposite the blade [syn: poleax, poleaxe]
2: a battle ax used in the Middle Ages; a long handled ax and a pick [syn: poleax, poleaxe] v
1: fell with or as if with a poleax [syn: poleax, poleaxe]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English polax, pollax, from pol, polle poll + ax Date: 14th century 1. a battle-ax with a short handle and often a hook or spike opposite the blade; also one with a long handle used as an ornamental weapon 2. an ax used in slaughtering cattle II. transitive verb Date: 1882 to attack, strike, or fell with or as if with a poleax

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Poleax Pole"ax`, Poleaxe Pole"axe`, n. [OE. pollax; cf. OD. pollexe. See Poll head, and Ax.] Anciently, a kind of battle-ax with a long handle; later, an ax or hatchet with a short handle, and a head variously patterned; -- used by soldiers, and also by sailors in boarding a vessel.