/pohl"aks'/ , n. , pl. poleaxes /-ak'siz/ , v. , poleaxed, poleaxing .
n.
1. a medieval shafted weapon with blade combining ax, hammer, and apical spike, used for fighting on foot.
2. an ax, usually with a hammer opposite the cutting edge, used in stunning and slaughtering animals.
3. an ax with both a blade and a hook, formerly used in naval warfare to assist sailors in boarding vessels.
v.t.
4. to strike down or kill with or as if with a poleax.
[ 1300-50; ME pollax battle-ax, lit., head-ax (see POLL 1 , AX); akin to MLG polexe ]