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axis

axis

23 7.0
A group of countries that join together for military or political reasons
  • noun
  • /ˈæksɪs/
translation icon : Eje
  • Then President George W. Bush declared the "axis of evil" and identified Iran as one of the points of the axis.
  • axis powers
  • member of the axis
  • axis of evil

And now China's stitching together, you know, an axis of these countries.

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Examples

  • During the war, countries like Germany, Italy, and Japan formed an alliance known as the Axis.

  • States like these and their terrorist allies constitute an Axis of Evil.

  • With his new axis of power in place, he is ready to make his next move.

  • - Proof there truly is a new axis of evil.

  • What's the story on that axis of evil?

  • May I remind you that though we are Axis partners, you are still on German soil.

  • America and the Soviet Union comprised, one might say, the axis of evil.

    Academic text (2003)
  • This is a massive realignment, a massive realignment where we are going to be with the axis of evil.

  • Turkish foreign policymakers jumped at the chance to establish a USA-Turkey-Israel axis while overlooking the Arab Middle East.

    Academic text (2000)
  • The formation of the Axis powers during World War II significantly changed the course of history.

Synonyms

bloc
vsaxis
75 4.8

A group of countries or political parties that act together

is mainly used for a named wartime alliance rather than a general political group
allies
vsaxis
4 3.0

Countries or groups that join together to fight a common enemy

is mainly used for a specific wartime alliance often tied to World War II

Compounds

2 4.5

An imaginary line through the North and South Poles that the Earth spins around

axis of rotation
  • Specialized
1 4.3

A straight line that an object turns around

coordinate axis
  • Specialized
4.4

A fixed straight line that shows where points are on a graph, like the x or y line

axis vertebra
  • Specialized
8.4

The second bone in the neck that lets the head turn from side to side

major axis
  • Specialized
6.3

The longest straight line through an ellipse that passes through its two special inner points

minor axis
  • Specialized
7.2

The shorter diameter of an ellipse that goes through its center and meets the longer axis at right angles

principal axis
  • Specialized
7.7

An invisible straight line through a lens or mirror center that light follows without bending

off-axis reflector
  • Specialized
9.3

A telescope with a tilted main mirror that sends the image to the side to avoid mirror blocking light

optic axis
  • Specialized
8.4

A line in a crystal, lens, or eye that lets light pass without splitting

A line showing different opinions about government, from left to right

semimajor axis
  • Specialized
8.0

The distance from the center of an ellipse or oval to its farthest edge, equal to half the longest diameter

semiminor axis
  • Specialized
8.7

Half the length from the center to the edge along an ellipse's shortest diameter

y-axis
  • Specialized
4.0

The vertical line on a graph that shows measured values

How Allied

axis
23 7.0
alliance
832 4.0
confederation
32 6.0
bloc
75 4.8
coalition
525 4.3

Surface Forms

axis singular
axes plural

Etymology

Axis comes from the Latin axis, meaning an 'axle' or 'line', and people used the image of a straight line to show things joined together. That is why a group of countries standing in line was called the Axis during World War II.