battle-ax

Thân thiện

A blacksmith carefully sharpens a battle-ax at his forge.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sharp-tongued, domineering wife: A colloquial and often offensive term for a woman, especially a wife, perceived as overbearing, nagging, or ill-tempered.
   • A broadax used as a weapon: A large, heavy ax with a broad blade, historically used as a weapon in warfare.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Person):

  • In the old comedy, the main character was constantly nagged by his battle-ax of a wife.
  • The stereotype of the battle-ax is considered outdated and sexist.

• Noun (Weapon):

  • The medieval warrior wielded a heavy battle-ax.
  • The museum's collection includes a Viking battle-ax from the 10th century.

Advanced Usage

• The term "battle-ax" (referring to a person) is highly pejorative and reflects negative gender stereotypes. Its use is generally discouraged in modern, respectful discourse.
• When referring to the weapon, the term is neutral and descriptive.

Variants and Related Words

• Battle-axe: An alternative, chiefly British English spelling for both meanings.
• Broadax: A direct synonym for the weapon sense, referring to an ax with a wide blade.

Synonyms

• For the person (derogatory): Shrew, termagant, harridan, virago.
• For the weapon: Broadax, poleax.

Related Idioms

• To bring a battle-ax to a gunfight: A humorous variation of "bring a knife to a gunfight," meaning to be woefully underprepared or to use outdated methods for a modern challenge. (This idiom uses the weapon sense metaphorically).

Học thuật

Noun

1. a sharp-tongued domineering wife
2. a broadax used as a weapon

Từ đồng nghĩa

• battle-axe