好词典

axe

UK /æks/US /æks/

词源

源自古英语æx,与古诺尔斯语öx同源,原始日耳曼语*akusī,可能源自原始印欧语*h₂egʷs-ih₂(与拉丁语ascia相关)。

noun

❶ 一种带有锋利金属头的工具,通常用于砍伐树木或劈开木材,手柄较长以便双手握持。

“He used an axe to chop firewood for the winter.”

(他用斧头劈柴准备过冬。)

“The lumberjack swung the axe with great force.”

(伐木工人用力挥舞斧头。)

❶ 比喻突然的裁员或取消,尤指组织为节省成本而大规模解雇员工或终止项目。

“The company announced it would axe 200 jobs next month.”

(公司宣布下个月将裁员200人。)

“Several TV shows got the axe due to low ratings.”

(多档电视节目因收视率低被砍掉。)

同义词:hatchet, chopper, cleaver

verb

❶ 用斧头砍伐或劈开某物,也指突然终止项目或解雇人员。

“They axed down the old oak tree to make space.”

(他们砍倒了老橡树腾出空间。)

“He axed through the thick branch in three strokes.”

(他三斧头劈开了粗树枝。)

同义词:chop, cut, terminate, cancel

常见短语

get the axe — 指被解雇或项目被突然终止,常用于非正式场合描述裁员情况。

“After the merger, half the team got the axe.”

(合并后,团队一半人员被裁撤。)

axe to grind — 指某人怀有私心或隐藏动机,通常带有抱怨或报复的意图。

“He criticizes the policy but has an axe to grind with the mayor.”

(他批评该政策,其实是因为和市长有过节。)