| 释义 |
poleaxepoleaxn. Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: poll n.1, axe n.1 Etymology: < poll n.1 + axe n.1; compare Middle Dutch polaex , polhaex , pollaex , pollex (Dutch (now hist.) polaks ), Middle Low German polexe , pollexe , polaxe , pollaxe , and (probably < Middle Low German) Old Swedish polyxe , polöxe , pulyxe (Swedish pålyxa ), Old Danish poløxe , polløxe , pallyxe . The relationship between the Middle English and the Middle Dutch and Middle Low German words is uncertain. Compare post-classical Latin polhaxa (1336 in a British source). Compare slightly earlier poll-hatchet n. at poll n.1 Compounds (where, however, the second element is of French origin), and also early modern Dutch pol-haemer pole-hammer n. It is unclear whether the compound originally denoted an axe with a special kind of head, or one for cutting off or splitting the head of an enemy. Spellings which show reinterpretation of the first element as pole n.1 are found sporadically in Middle English (compare quot. 1356-7 at sense 2), and frequently (including the now standard poleaxe , poleax ) from the 17th cent.; the 20th-cent. U.S. forms pollax , pollaxe appear to be rare exceptions to the trend. It is unclear whether the respelling was reinforced by the fact that many of the later versions of the weapon did in fact have a long handle (compare the definitions at sense 1); compare German regional (Low German: Westphalia) pålexe , Swedish pålyxa , which show similar reinterpretation of the first element as the respective cognate of pole n.1 With sense 2 perhaps compare bole-ax n.In β. forms apparently alterations after peel n.2 and pale n.1 respectively. With the γ. forms compare β forms at poll n.1 and β forms at pole n.1 society > armed hostility > hostilities at sea > naval weapons and equipment > [noun] > pikes, etc. society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > sharp weapon > halberd > [noun] society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > sharp weapon > axe > [noun] 1294 Assize Roll Surrey (P.R.O.: JUST 1/906) in H. E. Malden (1911) III. 347/1 Qui percussit dictum Robertum in capite..cum hachia quae vocatur polhax [Who struck the said Robert on the head..with an axe that is called a poleaxe]. 1320 (Leicestershire Rec. Office: BR/IV/6/2) m. 2 Bis percussit eum cum quodam hachio quod vocatur pollax & male eum wlnerauit [He struck him twice with an axe that is called a poleaxe and badly injured him]. 1355 in (1901) 14 301 Stephanus Lecman cum baculo & cutell'..Adam de Ely cum..pollex. c1385 G. Chaucer 2544 No man therfore, vp peyne of los of lyf, No maner shot ne polax [v.r. pollax] ne short knyf Into the lystes sende or thider brynge. a1426 in (1827) I. Introd. p. xx (MED) Certeigne men..woulde haf slayne me wt ane polle axe. a1450 (?a1300) (Caius) (1810) 6870 If the dogge wyl come to me, My pollax schal hys bane be. c1475 (c1399) (Cambr. Ll.4.14) (1936) iii. 328 Þey..pletid with pollaxis and poyntis of swerdis. ?a1500 Nominale (Yale Beinecke 594) in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker (1884) I. 784/1 Daca, a pollex. 1536 in W. H. Turner (1880) 136 Ye Proctor did thrust his pole-axe at him. 1551 R. Robinson tr. T. More sig. Pvii At hande strokes they vse not swordes but pollaxes. 1570 Bk. Precedence (Harl. 1440) in F. J. Furnivall (1869) 22 Then the Pentioners with ther poleaxes on each side of her maiestie. 1585 T. Washington tr. N. de Nicolay iv. xiii. 126 b His right hand bare a long launce, the poleaxe at the point being well steeled. 1625 K. Long tr. J. Barclay iv. xxii. 320 Snatching their Pole-axes which hung by their saddle-bowes, they fell afresh to the Combate. 1688 R. Holme iii. 291/2 Their Cutting Knife..many would rather take to be a Poll-ax. 1759 195 Their arms are gilt pole-axes, and they have 100l. a year each. 1769 W. Falconer Pole-axe, a sort of hatchet..principally employed to cut away..the rigging of any adversary who endeavours to board. 1786 F. Grose 56 The Welch glaive is a kind of bill, sometimes reckoned among the pole axes. 1827 W. Tennant 45 His henchman..Wi' ane pow-axe intill his hand. 1847 W. H. Prescott II. iii. x. 43 To deal furious blows with their pole-axes and war-clubs. 1885 E. Castle 44 The hastate weapons: pike, partisan..and poleaxe. 1907 E. Dale v. 261 With pole-axe and spear the boarders press in among the foe. 1958 N. Levine iv. 101 The man with the pole-axe stood above us grinning. 1967 F. Wilkinson i. 37 The pole-axe..was a sturdy, almost crude, weapon with a hammer-like head and vicious spikes, and greatly favoured for foot combat in the lists. 1999 28 June 6/3 The head wounds included crush injuries from maces, flails and ball-hammers, cuts from swords or knives and puncture wounds from arrows or pole axes. society > occupation and work > equipment > other specific types of equipment > [noun] > other tools and equipment 1356–7 in J. T. Fowler (1899) II. 557 (MED) Marescalcia. In uno malleo ferr. et 1 poleax, 3 Wharelwegges faciendis de proprio ferro. 1545 in P. A. Kennedy (1962) 17 2 boordes A forme 2 lyttle formes A poll axe a moldering borde. 1800 W. Tatham 10 Felling the timber with a poll-axe. [Note] This is a short, thick, heavy-headed axe, of a somewhat oblong shape, with which the Americans make great dispatch. They treat the English poll-axe with great contempt. 1838 1 286 The [fire] engines..are all provided with the following useful articles, adapted not merely to the suppression of fire, but to the saving of human life and the rescue of property;..pole-axe, screw-wrench, crow-bar, portable cistern. 1942 R. L. Haig-Brown xxiii. 338 Alec swung the pack on to his shoulders, picked up his light pole ax and started down for the crossing log that spanned the river just below camp. 1972 E. Wigginton 45 Splitting and riving..the tools needed are a poleaxe, a go-devil, large wooden wedges, a maul, a froe, and a mallet. 2000 (Nexis) 2 Dec. a3 A lifetime of chopping wood with a pole axe in some mosquito-infested bush, and without the benefit of mosquito repellent. the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > equipment for food preparation > [noun] > butcher's axe or stick 1587 in M. A. Havinden (1965) 236 In the shopp. Too stakes to Clevares of Jorne a handhooke 4 pynnes of Jorne a pollaxe wyth hookes. 1719 D. Defoe 56 An Ox is fell'd with a Pole-Axe. 1830 M. Donovan II. i. 7 The ox is first stunned by a violent blow on the head with a pole-axe. 1922 J. Joyce ii. viii. [Lestrygonians] 163 Wretched brutes..waiting for the poleaxe to split their skulls open. 1980 (Nexis) 22 Dec. 55 Many slaughterhouses still use poleaxes to knock animals unconscious before killing them. 1984 C. Kightly iii. 95 He'd strike bull with a patent affair—you know, a pole-axe: they wain't let you kill 'em that way now, you know. It was like an axe at one side, and just like a spike on t'other, as thick as thy finger. 1992 M. Blonsky xiv. 323 I walk down the decline of an enclosed gangplank, at the end of which a black with a poleax waits for the steer that I am. 1653 Duchess of Newcastle 157 On his Hands Gauntlets of active Skill, Wherewith he held a Pole-axe of good Will. 1846 R. Browning Luria i, in 5/2 The brace of prizers fairly matched, Poleaxe with poleaxe. 1924 H. H. Asquith xv. 206 ‘C.B.,’ though a man of thoroughly amiable character,..showed that he could wield the pole-axe with discrimination and even with severity. 2002 (Nexis) 26 May b2 The poleaxe. When a defender swats at a shot and his follow-through breaks the shooter's kneecap, that's way over-enthusiastic. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022). poleaxepoleaxv.Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: poleaxe n. Etymology: < poleaxe n. Compare slightly earlier poleaxed adj. the world > life > death > killing > killing by specific method > kill [verb (transitive)] > by poleaxe 1855 17 Oct. 9/4 The second bullock was poleaxed in the way I have seen animals killed by our own slaughtermen. 1872 19 Aug. 11/6 Prosecutor said he did not approve it, and the prisoner then said he ought to be pole-axed. 1906 May 701/1 The slaughterer pole-axes an ox. 1927 23 May 16/1 That overnight punch with which he pole-axed Jimmy Maloney on Friday night has made of him the greatest potential fighter of them all. 1954 8 July (B ed.) 10/4 The poor lady sits down in a daze, as if pole-axed. 2000 R. Barger et al. vii. 127 This really pissed George off, so he poleaxed Hunter while a couple of us kicked him around. 1959 R. Nelson in M. Benthall & R. Nelson 6 The play mounts in action from that point without poleaxing actor and audience with indecision and vacillation that have no motivation. 1977 K. Tynan 25 Apr. (2001) 373 I take it, and am instantly poleaxed with a leaden lethargy that forces me to spend the whole day in bed. 1990 R. Pilcher ix. 108 Young men flocked to her side, poleaxed by the sight of her in hunting gear astride some enviable horse. 2002 (Electronic ed.) 23 May Opponents had poleaxed him for 12 earned runs, 22 hits, and 9 walks over 14⅔ innings. Derivatives society > armed hostility > warrior > armed man > [noun] > axe 1885 14 Jan. 3/6 But it was a sudden and unexpected blow—a regular poleaxer. 1993 (Nexis) 23 May b41 A neighbor who enjoyed his job as a chicken neck-wringer or steer pole-axer. 1882 15 Nov. 5/1 By the Christian mode of poleaxing, sensibility was almost instantaneously destroyed. 2000 64 221 None of the partly complete horse and cattle skulls had signs of butchery such as poleaxing or medial cleavaging. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022). <  n.1294v.1855 |
