Pickaxed

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To remove or break apart substances by using a pointed tool designed for heavy-duty work usually associated with mining or drilling
2. To utilize a specialized instrument with a sharp, pointed end to disrupt or extract materials from solid surfaces in various settings
3. To use a heavy-duty tool featuring a pointed end for the purpose of breaking up or extracting hard materials from the ground or other surfaces

Etymology: "Pickaxed" is the past tense and past participle of "pickax," so its history is that of the noun it comes from. The noun is a compound built from "pick," meaning a pointed tool for breaking up hard ground, and "ax," the familiar chopping tool. The pick part of the name came first into English, while the "ax" part came later and was added to a related tool that had a broader blade. The combined form ended up describing a tool with a pointed head on one side and a broad, chisel-like edge on the other, which is the traditional shape of the implement. Because the verb simply applies the action of that tool to a task, its meaning follows directly from the object: to strike or pry at ground, rock, or pavement with a heavy, pointed blade. Its history is plain and practical, and it shows how English often names a tool first and then turns the tool's name into a verb for the work it does.

Synonyms: picked, pried