give someone the ax

give someone the ax
1. tv. to dismiss someone from employment.
They had to give Paul the ax because he was so unproductive.
I was afraid they would give me the ax.
2. tv. to divorce someone.
Mary gave Fred the ax after only six months.
She gave him the ax because he wouldn’t stop smoking like he promised.

Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions. 2015.

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  • give someone the ax — give (someone) the ax informal : to dismiss (someone) from a job : to fire (someone) His boss gave him the ax. • • • Main Entry: ↑ax …   Useful english dictionary

  • give someone the OK — get/give/someone the OK phrase to get or give someone permission to do something I’ll place the order as soon as you give me the OK. Thesaurus: to give someone permission to do somethingsynonym Main entry: OK …   Useful english dictionary

  • give someone the bird — phrase mainly american informal to hold up your middle finger as a very rude sign Thesaurus: to use a particular gesture to communicate somethinghyponym Main entry: bird * * * see flip someone the bird * * * gi …   Useful english dictionary

  • give someone the eye — informal phrase to look at someone in a way that shows you are sexually attracted to them You see that guy over there – I’m pretty sure he was giving me the eye. Thesaurus: to look at someone in a particular wayhyponym to start a romantic or… …   Useful english dictionary

  • give someone the bum's rush — (slang) 1. To eject someone by force 2. To dismiss someone summarily, esp from one s employment • • • Main Entry: ↑bum * * * give someone (or get) the bum s rush forcibly eject someone (or be forcibly ejected) from a place or gathering ■ abruptly …   Useful english dictionary

  • give someone the elbow — british informal phrase to end your relationship with someone Thesaurus: to end a friendship or relationshipsynonym Main entry: elbow * * * give (someone) the elbow Brit informal : to end a …   Useful english dictionary

  • give someone the works — (slang) To give someone the full punitive, coercive, ceremonial, etc treatment considered appropriate to his or her case • • • Main Entry: ↑work * * * informal treat someone harshly ■ kill someone …   Useful english dictionary

  • give someone the nod — give (someone) the nod British & Australian, informal to give someone permission to do something. We re just waiting for the council to give us the nod then we ll start building …   New idioms dictionary

  • give someone the benefit of the doubt — give (someone) the benefit of the doubt to believe something good about someone, rather than something bad, when you have the possibility of doing either. After hearing his explanation, I was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt …   New idioms dictionary

  • give someone the runaround — give (someone) the runaround (informal) 1. To behave repeatedly in a vague, indecisive or deceptive way towards 2. To reply to a question or meet a request with evasion • • • Main Entry: ↑run * * * give someone the runaround informal phrase to… …   Useful english dictionary

  • give someone the axe — If you give someone the axe, you terminate their employment or discharge them from an office or position.( Ax is the American spelling) …   The small dictionary of idiomes

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