hatchet English · revision 981

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈhæt͡ʃɪt/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|hachet]], [[bor|fro|hachete]], a diminutive of ''hache'' “axe”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) probably from [[frk|*happja]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) related to Old High German ''happa'' “sickle, scythe”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) It is perhaps related to Greek ''kóptein'' “to strike”.^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A small axe with a short handle, for use with one hand (1307 in Barnhart; 1375 in the OED).^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle English ''to hang up one's hatchet'' meant to stop working.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The phrases ''to bury the hatchet'', “to make peace” (1754), and ''to take up the hatchet'', “to go to war”, come from a Native American custom of burying a tomahawk to conclude peace.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(RHWU) A ''hatchet face'' is a narrow, sharp face (1650s),^(Etymonline) and a ''hatchet man'' someone hired to do ruthless or destructive work.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1307 – a small axe (Barnhart).^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1375 – a small axe (OED).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1650s – ''hatchet-face''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1754 – ''to bury the hatchet''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A small, short-handled [[ax|alt=axe]] for use in one hand, often with a hammer head opposite the blade.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[tomahawk]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To cut with a hatchet; figuratively, to cut down or destroy.^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[hatchet face]]

+ * [[hatchet job]]

+ * [[hatchet man]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[hash]]

+ * [[axe]]

+ * [[tomahawk]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}