take an axe to
To boldly demolish, delete, or discontinue (something).
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The company decided to take an axe to the old budget.”
“The new manager took an axe to the outdated rules that were slowing down our daily work.”
“Faced with a mounting deficit, the board took an axe to several long-standing projects to ensure the organization's survival.”
- 01
be taken ill
To become ill.
- 02
cross to take up
Alternative form of cross to bear.
- 03
forget to take one's medication this morning
To be annoyed or irritable, or to behave in an ill-mannered way, particularly in the morning.
- 04
get taken in
To be fooled; to fall for.
- 05
give and take
A process of compromise or accommodation.
- 06
give someone an inch and someone will take a mile
Alternative form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.
- 07
give the axe
To fire (dismiss from employment).
- 08
have one's name taken
To receive a yellow card.
Last updated August 10, 2026