axe

▪ I. axe axe ¹ [æks] also ax verb [transitive] informal

1. JOBS if a company axes jobs, it suddenly dismisses people in those jobs in order to reduce costs:

• The company announced plans to axe 300 jobs.

2. to suddenly get rid of a plan or service, or reduce the amount of money spent on it:

• The airline's transatlantic service is to be axed next month.

  [m0] ▪ II. axe axe ² also ax noun JOBS

1. get/​be given the axe if someone gets the axe or is given the axe, they are suddenly dismissed from their job because the company wants to reduce costs. If a plan, project, or service gets the axe, it is stopped in order to reduce costs:

• A lot of managers are now getting the axe.

2. the axe falls if the axe falls, someone is dismissed from their job or a plan, project, or service is stopped because a company needs to reduce its costs:

• The axe is now falling on people whose talents have been praised only months earlier.

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Ⅰ.

axe UK US also US ax) /æks/ verb [T]

► HR, WORKPLACE, MANAGEMENT to get rid of large numbers of employees, especially in order to reduce costs: axe jobs/posts/staff »

One of the UK's biggest retailers yesterday unveiled plans to axe up to 1,000 jobs in an attempt to kickstart its recovery.

► to stop providing a particular service because it is no longer profitable: »

Increased competition has forced several low-cost airlines to axe flights on major routes.

Ⅱ.

axe UK US also US ax) /æks/ noun

● get/be given the axe — Cf. get/be given the axe

● face the axe — Cf. face the axe

● take an axe to sth/wield the axe — Cf. wield the axe

● the axe falls — Cf. the axe falls

● have an axe to grind — Cf. have an axe to grind