Sentence:  It was one of them, for example, which provoked Lieutenant Maynard to <WSD>hack off</WSD> Blackbeard's head, and to spear it upon the end of his bowsprit. But, as a rule, the pirate ruffled and bullied and drabbed without let or hindrance, until it was time for him to go back to his ship once more. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To remove by hacking; to cut off