poleaxe

plural poleaxes · alternative poleax · alternative pole-axe · alternative pollaxe · alternative pollax · alternative polax

1. An ax having both a blade and a hammer face; used to slaughter cattle.
2. historicalA long-handled battle axe, being a combination of ax, hammer and pike.

present singular third person poleaxes · participle present poleaxing · participle past poleaxed · past poleaxed · alternative poleax · alternative pole-axe · alternative pollaxe · alternative pollax · alternative polax

1. transitiveTo fell someone with, or as if with, a poleaxe.
2. figurativelytransitiveTo astonish; to shock or surprise utterly.

   Lisa Griffin, who runs Brew Rock and an Irish pub in nearby Benidorm, was as poleaxed by the announcement as her customers were.

   2020 July 26, Sam Jones, “'Everyone is panicking': UK quarantine decision shocks Britons in Spain”, in The Guardian

3. figurativelytransitiveTo stymie, thwart, cripple, paralyze.

   After a lacklustre campaign that has failed to grapple with Germany’s looming problems, the world should expect post-election coalition talks to last for months, poleaxing European politics while they drag on.

   2021 September 25, Zanny Minton Beddoes, “The Mess Merkel leaves behind”, in The Economist