1.axe用作动词的基本意思是“用斧把…砍死”,用于比喻可表示“开除; 解雇”“精简(机构); 大量削减(经费)”等。
2.axe是及物动词,接简单宾语,可用于被动语态。

用作及物动词
▲S+～+n./pron.
The lumberjacks axed down the tree. 伐木工用斧把树砍倒。
The company has axed 50 jobs recently.该公司最近裁员50名。
The city council is axing recycling facilities in order to save money. 市政会为了省钱正在削减废物回收利用设施。
◇ 用于be ～ed结构
Almost 1000 jobs were axed.几乎有1000个工作职位被削减。
750 jobs were axed as a result of government spending cuts.由于政府缩减经费的缘故,有750人被突然解雇了。
The company is losing money so a quarter of our staff has to be axed.公司亏损,因此四分之一的雇员将被解雇。
After six months the project was axed by the government.六个月之后,该项计划就被政府砍掉了。
Many TV shows have been axed because of poor ratings.由于收视率太低,许多电视节目被砍掉了。
Public services should be maintained but administration expenses need to be axed to a minimum.公共事业的费用必须保留,但行政开支需要大力削减到最低限度。

［词源］＜古英语æx(斧)

1.axe的基本意思是“斧子”,用于比喻可指“(遭)解雇; (被)撤销; (被)停业”等。
2.axe在美式英语中常写作ax。

have an axe to grind
有私心; 有个人打算 have private reasons for being involved in sth or for arguing for a particular cause
Bob had an axe to grind at Tom's expense.鲍勃以牺牲汤姆的利益来满足其私心。
Tim certainly has an axe to grind now that his salary has been reduced.蒂姆当然是别有企图的,他刚被降了工资。
Both candidates were from other party and had other axes to grind.两个候选人都属于另一党,都有其他自私的目的。
I have no axe to grind,I just want to help you.我别无企图,只想帮忙而已。
She had no axe to grind and was only acting out of concern for their safety.她毫无私心,这样做只是出于对他们安全的关怀。
He has no axe to grind over this question.在这个问题上他没有私心。
I can say with certainty that he is a fair man who has no axe to grind over this matter.我可以肯定地说,他在这个问题上是一个没有个人打算的好人。
Environmentalists have no political axe to grind—they just want to save the planet.环境问题专家并没什么政治企图——他们只是想挽救地球。

An axe is a tool used cutting wood.斧子是一种砍木头的工具。
The heavy axe was awkward to use.这把大斧子使用不便。
Nobody really knows which way the axe is going to fall.确实没人知道谁会碰上(倒霉)。
Jack swung the axe and with one blow split open the door. 杰克抡起斧头,猛地一下把门劈开。
Julian used an axe to chop the old apple tree down.朱利安用斧子砍倒了老苹果树。
Two schools face the axe.两所学校面临被撤销的命运。
My favorite TV show has got the axe.我喜欢的电视节目停了。
Up to 300 workers are facing the axe at a struggling Merseyside firm.艰苦挣扎的默西赛德公司有多达300名工人面临被解雇。
I ask for a raise, but it got the axe from my boss.我要求加薪,但遭到老板的拒绝。
We were going to build a new school but it got the axe from the government.我们原来准备建一所新学校,但政府取消了这件事。
They got the axe after they were discovered stealing computers from the office.他们被发现偷盗办公室的电脑后立刻就被开除了。
John got the axe when he arrived late for work three days in succession.约翰由于连续3天上班迟到而被解雇了。
Religious programmes will be the first to get the axe if she's put in charge of the station.如果她负责电台的工作,首先就要取消宗教节目。
The minister was given the axe in the “cash for influence” scandal.部长因“影响金”丑闻而被革职。
Have you decided to hang up your axe?你打算不干了吗？
They give guys the axe frequently at the school.It has a very good academic rating. 那所学校的学术水平很高,经常开除不及格的学生。
He felt no hesitation in giving me the axe.他毫不迟疑地把我开除。
Patients are delighted their local hospital has been saved from the axe.病人高兴的是当地医院获挽救免遭关闭。
He chopped the tree with an axe.他用斧子把树砍倒。
One of them chopped through the planks with her axe.其中一人用她的斧头劈开了那些木板。
He felled the tree with a dozen blows of his axe.他十几斧头就把树砍倒了。