an obscure expression apparently of British military origin that suggests a degree of crudeness of analysis such that finer details are glossed over, as when someone with particularly meaty paws attempts to point out a location on a smaller map; failing to assess the exact geographical features of a particular area can lead to significant complications when battle strategies are executed; in a business context the term may suggest imprecision, lack of nuance, tact, or subtlety; can be a way to derogate a leader whose big picture perspective is too lofty to be useful when it comes to implementation; related to slice butter with an ax, which indicates a more willfully overbearing approach