[singular] the axe used especially in newspapers to describe strong measures that are taken to reduce costs, such as removing workers from their jobs, closing parts of a company, etc.（尤用于报章）解雇，关闭◆Up to 300 workers are facing the axe at the struggling company.在这家苦苦挣扎的公司里，多达 300 名工人将遭解雇。◆The company has not announced which of its factories will get the axe.公司没宣布关闭哪一家工厂。