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Glite Dictionary
😱 To shock deeply 🪓 A heavy weapon 💥 To knock down
poleaxe

poleaxe

9.9
A heavy axe with a long handle used in battle
  • noun
  • /ˈpoʊlˌæks/
  • Archaic
translation icon : hacha de guerra
  • The butcher selected a heavy poleaxe to slaughter the animals swiftly.

Examples

  • Aria could not imagine them turning their poleaxes against a prince of the blood, backed by dozens of boyars, not unless she gave them some incredibly good reason.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • In medieval times, soldiers often used a poleaxe for close combat during battles.

  • Poleaxes lashed out.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Looking past their stone faces into the hall below, all she saw at first were bared blades: the boyars' drawn swords, the Gendarmes' poleaxes, and the guards' halberds.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • The warrior swung his poleaxe to defend himself against the charging enemy.

Synonyms

polearm
vspoleaxe
1 9.9

A long shaft with a blade or point used to fight from a distance

is a heavy long-handled axe form rather than a general shaft weapon
poleax
vspoleaxe
  • Archaic
9.9

A long-handled ax with a hammer or spike used in medieval battles

also used for killing animals as well as fighting
pole weapon
vspoleaxe
8.1

A long wooden pole with a sharp or heavy end used for fighting

is a specific heavy axe rather than any long-shaft fighting tool
hammer-axe
vspoleaxe
9.9

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

is a long-handled heavy axe form rather than a dual-headed weapon
hammer axe
vspoleaxe
  • Archaic
9.9

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

is a long-handled heavy axe form rather than a combined head tool
axe-hammer
vspoleaxe
  • UK
9.9

A tool with an axe blade on one side and a hammer on the other for fighting or work

is dedicated to heavy fighting or slaughter rather than general tool use

How Heavy

maul
21 7.5
halberd
  • Archaic
1 9.9
poleaxe
  • Archaic
9.9
ax
  • US
129 1.0
hatchet
57 3.8

Surface Forms

poleaxe singular
poleaxes plural

Morphology

poleaxe = pole + axe (transparent) = pole + axe

The noun denotes exactly an axe mounted on a long handle; learners who know 'pole' and 'axe' can readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Poleaxe is made of the two simple parts pole and axe, so imagine an axe on a long handle. That strong image explains the word: it names a heavy axe used in battle or for slaughtering animals.