The term 'give the axe' is a phrase used to describe the act of firing someone from their job. The crossword solutions for this phrase are CAN (3 letters) and FIRE (4 letters). CAN stands for 'Cancel And Negate', which is the action of canceling or negating a contract or agreement, such as an employment contract. FIRE stands for 'Forced Into Retirement Early', which is the result of being fired from a job. Therefore, the phrase 'give the axe' is used to describe the act of firing someone from their job.