Green’s Dictionary of Slang

to close down, to terminate; to dismiss, esp. of businesses, jobs; thus axed.

1922		‘J.H. Ross’ Mint (1955) 31: The ‘axed’ Devonport apprentices [...] despise our mob.
1924		Queenslander (Brisbane) 17 May 43/4: Ted was looking for a job, having been ‘axed,’ and was at present staying with his rich aunt.
1967		‘Whisper All Aussie Dict.’ in Kings Cross Whisper (Sydney) xxxii 6/1: axed: To get fired, the bullet.
1970		G.F. Newman Sir, You Bastard 11: An incident which led him to the DCS’s office for axing.
1999		Guardian G2 23 June 17: Channel 5’s decision to axe the thrice-weekly slot is significant.
2000		Indep. on Sun. 23 Jan. 6: Axing some programmes [...] showing their age.
2005		M. Koryta Tonight I Said Goodbye 123: You beat up one of the city’s most prominent lawyers and got axed for your stupidity.
2017		T. Spicer Good Girl Stripped Bare 204: Most women in our line of work are axed or sidelined once they have children.