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GIVE THE AXE
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (verb)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Terminate a relationship abruptly
Example:
Mary gave John the axe after she saw him with another woman
Synonyms:
give the axe; give the bounce; give the gate
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
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
Sense 2
Meaning:
Terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position
Example:
The company terminated 25% of its workers
Synonyms:
can; dismiss; displace; fire; force out; give notice; give the axe; give the sack; sack; send away; terminate
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
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
