'give the axe' definitions:

Terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position; "The boss fired his secretary today"; "The company terminated 25% of its workers" [syn: displace, fire, give notice, can, dismiss, give the axe, send away, sack, force out, give the sack, terminate] [ant: employ, engage, hire]

Terminate a relationship abruptly; "Mary gave John the axe after she saw him with another woman" [syn: give the axe, give the bounce, give the gate]