Something that has been bothering me for years, off and on, and it occurs to me that this is the right place to come for answers.
Why do we refer to a woman of a certain age with a determined personality as a "battleaxe"? Other terms for us (whoops, I mean 'them') like "old bag", "old bat", etc seem to make some sense, but why this reference to mediaeval weaponry?

Interesting query. I am not sure that I can think of a reason why we are also old bags and bats.

Isn't it simply a derogatory term, much like any other form of abus?

I meant 'abuse' of course - before anyone tries to correct me!

Yes, but why? Women have never traditionally had anything to do with battle axes. I could understand a reference to rolling pins or frying pans, if you wanted to talk weaponry, but why axes?

I checked Brewers and that doesn't give anything for battleaxe, but an old bag is a slang term for an unattractive elderly lady or one of easy virtue.

The two seem to be mutually exclusive!

After an hour searching the net I am no closer to an answer regarding the origin of the term "battleaxe" when used to describe old women. Very frustrating and I feel that the search will be similar to the one regarding "low built houses"!
As I have no evidence I will put forward a theory of mine......
Women have always lived longer than men and as they have needed care in their old age they were taken in by relatives. This arrangement wasn`t always something that was seen to be of benefit to the family that took them in so to alleviate tensions old women were removed from the house but kept close enough to be taken care of. The backyard granny flat. Because the old women would prefer at times to live their lives with more freedom the family would give them their own private access to their granny flat. Thus the term battleaxe residence,simply the shape of the block, was born and the independent old types that lived in them came to be called "battleaxes".
There is no evidence of this being anymore than a theory of mine and probably evidence that it is more a fanciful notion.

I have a book by Christine Hamilton about battleaxes, perhaps she gives a mention there as to how they became known as that, I must have a look when I get home...

I didn't think battleaxe referred to just the elderly. I thought it could equally be applied to younger women who were simply quite detestable in their manners, attitudes, looks and just general PITA's.

Another ponderance on the way to the bus stop. When someone is referred to as 'a dragon', usually it is about women, however I'm not sure which aspects of dragonness apply.

I don't think I have ever heard of men being referred to as dragons.

Now 'hatchet-faced' is a fantastic word but I would never dream of saying it to someone who was.

Finally remembered to check my book, The Book of British Battleaxes by Christine Hamilton.

She says the term was first used around 1910 and it referred then to a very closely defined type, elderly, probably a spinster, aggressive, resentful towards the world, thoroughly unpleasant and pretty ugly to boot!

That still doesn't say why they are called battleaxes. In her books she has included who she wanted, most certainly don't fit tha above description - Joan Collins ugly, I think not.

Yes, that's what battleax means to me, though not the spinster part. Here there is a real connotation of heft - one of those late middle aged women with formidable bosoms who don't put up with nothin' from nobody (oh, dear, this is starting to sound uncomfortably like me!)
I've been wondering if there is some connection between the way that older women have been traditionally put 'out to pasture', and the way old weapons were hung on the wall of the manor house - you know the image I mean, a couple of battle axes crossed over the mantlepiece in the great hall. The problem with this is that the idea of a female battleaxe is far from passive and 'tucked away', but rather, aggressive and troublesome.

I think it just represents a 'mess with me and I'll brandish my metaphorical axe at you' type of attitude. Older women can develop this ...and so can older men for that matter. There comes a time in life when people won't be 'put upon' anymore and anything that goes against what they see as common decency and behaviour brings out a stroppy reaction. The battle axe gets brandished, so to speak.

There has been a program on TV recently called 'Grumpy Old Women'. A number of celebrities all grumble about the things that really annoy them now that they are over 50 years old. I think these ladies would come under the general term of 'battle axes'. Ready to take people to task if necessary. An earlier series of the programme covered 'Grumpy Old Men'.

Both sexes suffer from the same syndrome. I don't know what the name would be for the male equivalent. Whatever it is, I think I am one.

Now I always thought that the term "battleaxe" was used exclusively on older mothers-in-law. A little nicked up, perhaps a little dried blood, a splintery handle, but certainly something to be feared when swung about in anger!

Perhaps I should pass out an anonymous poll amongst the staff where I work to see if they have any nominations for battleaxe!

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Perhaps I should pass out an anonymous poll amongst the staff where I work to see if they have any nominations for battleaxe!

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Phew, dear me , Sue, isn't that a bit risky, considering? Well, please dear, do let us know the result if you do , won't you?

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I don't know what the name would be for the male equivalent. Whatever it is, I think I am one.

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TW I think what you are searching for is curmudgeon... not that you are one, of course.

I don't know Ren, I have found that it can be quite lucrative to have some staff members terrified of me, one poor man made the big mistake of blocking my car then going to the pub for an hour. Since then, having had my tongue in full flow, he has presented me with many bottles of wine and even a bunch of roses, he also makes tea for me on a regular basis.

I have been sent an explanation of battle-axe by:

Dan Macomber
Content Editor
Publishing Department
CTB/McGraw-Hill

This is it...

Battle-axe - Belligerent old woman

The word has been in English since at least the 14th century but acquired this sense only in the late 19th. The explanation seems to be that the word was given a new lease of life during hostilities between American settlers and Indians, whose tomahawks were called 'war-hatchets' or 'battle-axes'. It then came into metaphorical use from 'The Battle Axe', the name of an American woman's rights magazine whose writers and readers were presumed to be belligerent and probably elderly spinsters with nothing better to do.

Grateful thanks Dan.

For more sayings visit http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/gswithenbank/sayindex.htm

Edited for my typos

Thank you, Sue, and what an interesting link! (Welcome back, by the way) This seems to me to be a realistic explanation, I bet it's right.

<Battle-axe - Belligerent old woman >
Absolutely no comment whatsoever.... I wouldn't dream of it....
ermm... hasn't it been QUIET around here lately folks??

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It then came into metaphorical use from 'The Battle Axe', the name of an American woman's rights magazine whose writers and readers were presumed to be belligenrent and probably elderly spinsters with nothing better to do.

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You mean they weren't and didn't?


(Wincing while I await a response)

Woody

Hmmph, you mean that you didn't have a target for a while?