A tool with a heavy metal blade attached to a wooden handle, used for chopping wood; also means to suddenly stop something or fire someone.
From Old English 'æx,' related to German 'Axt' and Latin 'ascia.' The tool has been in use for thousands of years, making it one of humanity's most ancient implements.
The axe might be the most important tool in human history—it's what let early humans chop wood for fire, build shelter, and clear land for farming, essentially launching civilization itself.
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