/æks/

1. a tool that has a heavy iron or steel blade at the end of a long wooden handle, used for cutting wood: cái rìu

Julian used an axe to chop down the old apple tree.

2. the axe: the situation in which someone loses their job:

Over 500 staff are facing the axe.

3. get the axe (US also get the ax)

When a service, plan, etc. gets the axe, it is stopped or prevented from happening:

Religious programmes will be the first to get the axe if she's put in charge of the station.