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axe

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take an axe to

To destroy or attempt to destroy something, usually something intangible. I'm worried that Sarah will want to take an axe to her whole project after hearing your criticism. Congress is going to take an axe to some of the existing laws once the new term starts. I'm afraid I'm going to have to take an axe to the treehouse since it's so rotted.

See also: axe, take

get axed

Fig. to get fired. Betty and two of her friends got axed today.

See also: axe, get

have an ax(e) to grind

Fig. to have something to complain about. Tom, I need to talk to you. I have an ax to grind. Bill and Bob went into the other room to argue. They had an axe to grind.

See also: ax, grind, have

old battle-axe

a bossy old woman. She is such an old battle-axe. I'll bet she's hell to live with.

See also: old

have an ax to grind

also have an axe to grind

1. to have a selfish reason for saying or doing something The best reporting is done by people who don't have an ax to grind. After you get the same complaints from a number of people, you begin to think it may not be just people who have personal axes to grind.

2. to have a strong opinion about something that influences your actions I don't have an ax to grind about the fact that Christmas has become commercialized.

See also: ax, grind, have

get the axe

  also be given the axe

1. if a person gets the axe, they lose their job Senior staff are more likely to get the axe because the company can't afford their high salaries.

2. if a plan or a service gets the axe, it is stopped My research project was the first thing to be given the ax when the new boss took over.

See also: axe, get

have an axe to grind

to have a strong opinion about something, which you are often trying to persuade other people is correct As a novelist, he has no political axe to grind.

See also: axe, grind, have

axe

n. a musical instrument. (Originally a saxophone.) Get out your axe and let’s jam.

axe to grind

A selfish or ulterior aim: He claimed to be disinterested, but I knew he had an axe to grind.

See also: axe, grind