Crossword clues for battle-axe
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Battle-ax \Bat"tle-ax`\ Battle-axe \Bat"tle-axe`\(-[a^]ks`), n. (Mil.) A kind of broadax formerly used as an offensive weapon.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
Wiktionary
n. (alternative spelling of battle axe English)
WordNet
Wikipedia
A battle-axe is a term, generally considered pejorative, for an aggressive, domineering and forceful woman. The prime example was the militant temperance activist Carrie Nation, who wielded a hatchet and made it her symbol, living in Hatchet Hall and publishing a magazine called The Hatchet. She became involved in the suffragette campaign for votes for women and this campaign further established the archetype.
Other examples, listed by Christine Hamilton in her Book of British Battleaxes, include Nancy Astor, Boudica, Ena Sharples and Ann Widdecombe.
The battleaxe is one of several stereotypes found in nursing - a tyrannical, fierce matron exemplified by Nurse Ratched or Hattie Jacques in popular medical dramas and comedies.
Usage examples of "battle-axe".
The sun shone down into the great north ballium of the castle of Nimmr, glinting from the polished mail of noble knights and from pike and battle-axe of men-at-arms, picking out the gay colon of the robes of the women gathered in the grandstand below the inner wall.
Through pain-blurred eyes I saw Melbras approach me not with his battle-axe but with a sheep-gut bowstring in his hand.
Now, as this splendid knight rode nearer, contemptuous of his brawny captors, Robin stared to see that on his helmet he wore a wreath of flowers, while lance and sword, mace and battle-axe were wreathed in blooming roses.
The powerful succor of Flanders, Frise, and Denmark, filled near a hundred vessels: and the Northern warriors were distinguished in the field by a lofty stature and a ponderous battle-axe.
He said that he had killed ten men in single combat, of whom the first was a chief called Shive, always making use of a battle-axe.
Toledo, spontoon, battle-axe, pike or half-pike, morgenstiern, and halbert.
Where other dwarves charged with pickaxes, battle-axes, warhammers, and swords held high, Gutbusters just charged.
There was a suit of armor made of various nonmatching pieces, a few swords, a battle-axe that no one had ever been able to lift, and a chain-mail suit that appeared to have been attacked by extremely strong moths.
Aliisza knew that with her magic the scalelike ridges protruding from atop those foreheads were no threat to her, but still the creatures seemed uncertain of who she was, for they kept their battle-axes crossed before the opening as she approached.
Tine, if dusty and travel-stained, clothing and effects of their charges with unconcealed avarice, all the while fingering the well-honed blades of their battle-axes or hefting the short-hafted weapons where they lay, ready to hand, across their saddle pommels, sniggering and exchanging glances and terse comments in Umbrian or some such uncultured dialect.
She was young, sweet, and looked more approachable than the battle-axes manning the inner offices.
George, and sword or battle-axe swinging from their belts, completed this equipment, while in some cases the murderous maule or five-foot mallet was hung across the bowstave, being fastened to their leathern shoulder-belt by a hook in the centre of the handle.
Heavy battle-axes and maces cut through Flemish helmets with a noise “as loud as all the armorers of Paris and Brussels working together.
In no time at all he had a vision of Lithquil, the Mad Duke of Ool Hrusp, watching from high balcony by torchlight three northern berserks wielding saw-edged scimitars joined in mortal combat with four transparent-fleshed, pink-skeletoned ghouls armed with poniards and battle-axes.
It was all of gray stone and decorated with displays of broadaxes, battle-axes and headsmen's axes.