take an axe to

verb

To boldly demolish, delete, or discontinue (something).

“The firefighters were not messing around — they took an axe to the locked door.”

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Meanings

verbtake an axe to (third-person singular simple present takes an axe to, present participle taking an axe to, simple past took an axe to, past participle taken an axe to)

present singular third person takes an axe to · participle present taking an axe to · past took an axe to · participle past taken an axe to

  1. idiomaticTo boldly demolish, delete, or discontinue (something).

    How much you wanna bet on whether they're hatching secret plans to take an axe to the entire Social Security system?

  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: to boldly and forcefully demolish, cut up, cut down, etc.

    The firefighters were not messing around — they took an axe to the locked door.

Cite this entry
APA

take an axe to. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20an%20axe%20to

MLA

“take an axe to.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20an%20axe%20to. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “take an axe to,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20an%20axe%20to.

Source: take an axe to on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.