GIVE THE AXE
Dictionary entry overview: What does give the axe mean?
• GIVE THE AXE (verb)
The verb GIVE THE AXE has 2 senses:
1. terminate the employment of
2. terminate a relationship abruptly
Familiarity information: GIVE THE AXE used as a verb is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• GIVE THE AXE (verb)
Meaning:
Terminate the employment of
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
give the sack; give the axe; give notice; send away; sack; force out; can; fire; dismiss; terminate
Context examples:
The boss fired his secretary today / The company terminated 25% of its workers
Hypernyms (to "give the axe" is one way to...):
remove (remove from a position or an office)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "give the axe"):
retire (make (someone) retire)
pension off (let go from employment with an attractive pension)
clean out (force out)
furlough; lay off (dismiss, usually for economic reasons)
squeeze out (force out)
dismiss; drop; send away; send packing (stop associating with)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Meaning:
Terminate a relationship abruptly
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
give the bounce; give the gate; give the axe
Context example:
Mary gave John the axe after she saw him with another woman
Hypernyms (to "give the axe" is one way to...):
break; break up; part; separate; split; split up (discontinue an association or relation; go different ways)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody something
