axeaxe2 (also ax American EnglishAmE) nounJOB1get/be given the axe if someone gets the axe or is given the axe, they are suddenly dismissed from their job because the company wants to reduce costs. If a plan, project, or service gets the axe, it is stopped in order to reduce costsA lot of managers are now getting the axe.
2the axe falls if the axe falls, someone is dismissed from their job or a plan, project, or service is stopped because a company needs to reduce its costsThe axe is now falling on people whose talents have been praised only months earlier.