Battle-axed

[Charles Doyle]

Doesn't it mean, rather, a nurse who is a "battle-axe" to the maximum degree--"battle-axe" in the OED's sense 4. 'A formidable or domineering woman' (American since 1896)?

--Charlie
____________________________________________

---- Original message ----
>Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 13:12:46 -0600
>From: Bill Le May <blemay0 at MCHSI.COM>
>Subject: Battle-axed
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
>
>"battle-axed" as an adjective struck me as odd in an article on Muhammad Ali today:
>
>"...eventually the doctor had to summon his oldest, most battle-axed nurse."

>I suppose it's intended to mean battle-hardened.  The article was from the The Record of Hackensack, NJ.
>
>Bill Le May

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