ax

Etymology 1

noun

1. (American spelling) Alternative form of axe

verb

1. (American spelling) Alternative form of axe

Etymology 2

From Middle English axen, aksen, axien, from Old English ācsian and āxian, showing metathesis from āscian. Ax/aks was common in literary works until about 1600.

verb

1. (now nonstandard or dialectical, especially African-American Vernacular, MLE and Bermuda) Alternative form of ask
   Dolly: And if so be, why did you ax me to keep you company? Housekeeper wants me below to pick raisins. 1836, Joanna Baillie, The Alienated Manor, act 4
   Ar try who'l ax em the hardest riddle, 1879, William Barnes, “The Welshnut Tree”, in Complete Poems, volume 1, page 106
   Richard Dauntless: "But, axin' your pardon, miss, might I be permitted to salute the flag I'm a-goin' to sail under?" 1887, Gilbert and Sullivan, Ruddigore, act 1
   ‘I axed him if he knowed the way and he said he had not fergitten the lay of the land.’ 1979, Verna Mae Slone, What My Heart Wants to Tell, page 18
   Wise: Your boy left here a while ago Johnson: I ain' lookin' for him. He at his granmother's. I wanted to ax you somethin'. 2006 Sept. 17, David Mills, "Soft Eyes", The Wire, 00:19:01
   He's cool. Does triathlons dahn de Sahn. Don't drink. Ax me if I want a lift to de beach — he hurd it's a dahnce goin on dahn thurr. 2013-09-05, James Burton, The Bermuda Sun, archived from the original on 2022-12-12