Standard Lemma guide

poleaxe

noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈpoʊlˌæks/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A long-handled battle axe, being a combination of ax, hammer and pike.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To fell someone with, or as if with, a poleaxe.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To astonish; to shock or surprise utterly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To stymie, thwart, cripple, paralyze.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

a battle ax used in the Middle Ages; a long handled ax and a pick

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: poleax

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: battle-ax, battle-axe

7

noun

Meaning 7

an ax used to slaughter cattle; has a hammer opposite the blade

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: poleax

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: ax, axe

8

verb

Meaning 8

fell with or as if with a poleax

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: poleax

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fell, drop, strike down, cut down

History

Etymology

From earlier pollax, from poll (“head”) + axe, with the spelling influenced by pole.

Across languages

Translations

31 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: брадва (bradva) — ax having both a blade and a hammer face; used to slaughter cattle
  • German: Schlachterbeil — ax having both a blade and a hammer face; used to slaughter cattle
  • German: Schlachtbeil — ax having both a blade and a hammer face; used to slaughter cattle
  • Irish: tua búistéara — ax having both a blade and a hammer face; used to slaughter cattle
  • Italian: mannaia — ax having both a blade and a hammer face; used to slaughter cattle
  • Italian: scure — ax having both a blade and a hammer face; used to slaughter cattle
  • Old East Slavic: топоръ (toporŭ) — ax having both a blade and a hammer face; used to slaughter cattle
  • Polish: topór — ax having both a blade and a hammer face; used to slaughter cattle
  • Russian: топо́р (topór) — ax having both a blade and a hammer face; used to slaughter cattle
  • Russian: секи́ра (sekíra) — ax having both a blade and a hammer face; used to slaughter cattle
  • Ottoman Turkish: ناجاق (nacak) — ax having both a blade and a hammer face; used to slaughter cattle
  • Bulgarian: алебарда (alebarda) — battle axe
  • Chinese Mandarin: 長柄斧 /长柄斧 (chángbǐngfǔ) — battle axe
  • French: hache d'armes — battle axe
  • German: Kriegsaxt — battle axe
  • German: Streitaxt — battle axe
  • Italian: mannaia — battle axe
  • Polish: topór bojowy — battle axe
  • Portuguese: acha — battle axe
  • Russian: боево́й топо́р (bojevój topór) — battle axe
  • Russian: по́лэкс (pólɛks) — battle axe
  • Russian: берды́ш (berdýš) — battle axe
  • Ottoman Turkish: ناجاق (nacak) — battle axe
  • Bulgarian: съсичам (sǎsičam) — to beat as if with a poleaxe
  • German: zusammenschlagen — to beat as if with a poleaxe
  • Polish: walić — to beat as if with a poleaxe
  • Polish: walnąć — to beat as if with a poleaxe
  • German: schockieren — to astonish, to shock
  • German: vor den Kopf stoßen — to astonish, to shock
  • Polish: ogłuszać — to astonish, to shock
  • Polish: ogłuszyć — to astonish, to shock