
axe
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。)
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。)
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。)