Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 3 axtreo, 4 exetree, 4–6 extre, 4–7 axtre, 5 axetre, 6–7 axtree, axe-tree, 6– (Sc.) extree, aixtree. [f. AX sb.2 + TREE, in its sense of beam; repr. an OE. *eax-tréow. Cf. AXLE-TREE from ON.]
1. The AXLE-TREE of a wheel. (Still dial.)
a. 1230. Juliana, 56. Þat axtreo stod istraht … in te twa stanene postles.
1388. Wyclif, Ecclus. xxxiii. 5. An extre able to turne aboute [1617 a rolling axeltree].
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 145. Exultre, or ex tre.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 399/2. The one whele … fyl of fro the axtre.
1566. in Invent. (1815), 166 (Jam.). Twa gross culverinis … mountit upoun their stokis, quheillis, and aixtreis.
1573. Cooper, Thesaurus, Axis, an extree.
1617. Janua Ling., 813. The axe tree … broken in the cart rut.
1675. Hobbes, Odyss., 80. They mount into the chariot … The axtree groaned under them.
Mod. Sc. The wheels cam off the aixtree.
† 2. = AXLE. Obs.
1659. Leak, Water-works, 10. If two Wheels are equal … and there be unequal Weights fastened to their Ax-trees.
† 3. = AXIS. Obs.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. iii. The sterres … Whiche the axtree rounde aboute gone.
1551. Recorde, Pathw. Knowl., I. Def., A right line drawen crosse these figures … called an axe lyne, or axtre.
1603. Drayton, Bar. Warres, VI. v. Two stedfast Poles, Twixt which this All doth on the Axtree move.
1657. Wright, in Phil. Trans., LIII. 76. Two equal equidistant circles that have one common axtree.
