hatchet

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English hachet, a borrowing from Old French hachete, diminutive of hache (“axe”), from Vulgar Latin *happia, from Frankish *happjā, from Proto-Germanic *hapjǭ, *habjǭ (“knife”), from Proto-Indo-European *kop- (“to strike, to beat”). Cognate with Old High German happa, heppa, habba (“reaper, sickle”), German Hippe (“billhook”), Dutch heep, hiep (“billhook”), and Ancient Greek κοπίς (kopís). Mostly displaced native Old English handæx, whence Modern English hand axe. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈhæt͡ʃɪt/ Rhymes: -ætʃɪt === Noun === hatchet (plural hatchets) A small, light axe with a short handle; a tomahawk. (figurative) Belligerence, animosity; harsh criticism. to bury the hatchet hatchet job ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Verb === hatchet (third-person singular simple present hatchets, present participle hatcheting or (rare) hatchetting, simple past and past participle hatcheted or (rare) hatchetted) (transitive) To cut with a hatchet.