Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
battle axe

battle axe

6 8.6
A large heavy axe used as a weapon or an aggressive, bossy woman
  • noun
  • /ˈbætəl æks/
  • Slur
: hacha de guerra
  • The warrior wielded a battle axe as he charged into the fray.

Oh, guess I don't need this battle axe or shield then, huh?

Examples

  • Aside from his stein, decent armor, and fine battle axe, he had very little in the way of possessions.

    Blog text (30)

  • Oh, guess I don't need this battle axe or shield then, huh?

    The Try Guys

  • She approached the meeting with the intensity of a battle axe, ready to confront any challenge.

  • In the historical reenactment, participants demonstrated their skills with a battle axe in combat simulation.

Synonyms

weapon
vsbattle axe
∞ 1.0

A tool like a gun that people use to hurt or kill

is a specific heavy combat item and additionally an informal personal insult
ax
vsbattle axe
  • US
199 1.0

A tool with a heavy blade on a handle for chopping wood

is more narrowly a heavy fighting implement and also an informal insult
battle-ax
vsbattle axe
  • US
1 8.4

A large ax with a wide blade used in battle

also carries an informal sense meaning an aggressive, domineering woman
hand ax
vsbattle axe
  • Specialized
1 6.5

A small stone tool with a sharp edge used for cutting and chopping

is a large combat weapon and also an informal derogatory term for a woman
poleaxe
vsbattle axe
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A heavy axe with a long handle used in battle

is the broader combat term that also has an insulting human sense
hammer-axe
vsbattle axe
9.9

A weapon with a hammer on one side and an axe blade on the other

is the general heavy combat implement term that also works as an insult

Antonyms

submissive
39 5.1

Willing to obey others and not argue

How Heavy

poleaxe
  • Archaic
1 9.9
halberd
  • Archaic
1 9.9
battle axe
  • Slur
6 8.6
ax
  • US
199 1.0
hatchet
41 3.8

Surface Forms

battle axe singular
battle axes plural

Morphology

battle + ax

The literal sense ('a large axe used in combat') is transparently compositional from 'battle' + 'axe' and a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer it. The informal sense ('an aggressive, domineering woman') is a metaphorical extension that is partly motivated by the weapon image but requires cultural/figurative knowledge, so it is not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

Battle axe originally named a large, heavy axe used in battle. Because that weapon was strong and frightening, people began to call a harsh, very forceful woman a battle axe, so the phrase now means 'an aggressive, domineering woman'.