That allows Republicans, who want to take an axe to the budget, to claim they are chopping away.

共和党人想要削减预算，他们因此得以宣称正在削减。

youdao

Even though sharpening the axe before chopping down a tree takes you sometime, the speed and efficiency of it will be improved a lot, and you will spend less time cutting down the same tree.

在砍到一棵树前，去磨斧头，即使会花一点时间，砍伐的速度和效率会提高很多，但是你会花更少的时间，减少花在同一棵树上的时间。

youdao

If you are chopping wood in your dream with a sharp axe you will meet a new companion but if the axe is dull, you will not be able to depend on this person.

如果您是斩木在自己的梦想与夏普开刀，你会满足一个新的伴侣，但如果开刀是枯燥乏味，你将无法依赖于这个人。

youdao

Several times at public executions in 1698 and 1699, he brushed the executioner away, grabbed the axe and did the dirty work himself, chopping off a head or two.

在1698年和1699年的数次公开行刑里,他轰走了刽子手,抄起斧子亲自动手,手刃了几个囚犯

耶鲁公开课 - 欧洲文明课程节选