Poleax  (brit. -axe) —n. 1 hist. = *battleaxe 1. 2 butcher's axe. —v. (-xing) 1 hit or kill with a poleaxe. 2 (esp. As poleaxed adj.) Colloq. Dumbfound, overwhelm. [low german or dutch: related to *poll, *axe]