A selfish aim or motive, as in The article criticized the new software, but the author had an ax to grind, as its manufacturer had fired his son. This frequently used idiom comes from a story by Charles Miner, published in 1811, about a boy who was flattered into turning the grindstone for a man sharpening his ax.
What does it mean to not have an axe to grind?
to have a strong personal opinion about something that you want people to accept and that is the reason why you do something: Environmentalists have no political axe to grind - they just want to save the planet.What is an example of an axe to grind?
Example SentencesHe has no political axe to grind, he is just concerned about the state of affairs here. I think he is gunning for the top job because he has an axe to grind with some of his colleagues. Some new reports may be biased because the reporters have an axe to grind.
Where does the phrase axe to grind come from?
The term have an ax to grind was coined by Charles Miner in his essay Who'll turn Grindstone? which was published at the turn of the nineteenth century. In the essay, Miner relays a story in which a stranger tricked him into turning a grindstone so that the stranger could sharpen his ax.What does to have an axe to grind mean * to have no result a private end to serve to work for both sides none of these?
Option A is the correct answer because 'to have an axe to grind' means to have a private reason for doing or being involved in something.What does it mean, "to have an axe to grind"?
What is a synonym for an axe to grind?
synonyms for ax to grind
- agenda.
- driving force.
- hidden agenda.
- incentive.
- motivation.
- motive.
- reason.
- score to settle.
Which of following is the closest in the meaning to an axe to grind?
Detailed Solution. The phrase 'an axe to grind' means 'To have a personal motivation or selfish reason for saying or doing something. ' Hence, Option 3 has the closest meaning to the given phrase and is the correct answer.Is an axe to grind an idiom?
In Context – (1) I've got an axe to grind with you!What is the meaning of can't cut the mustard?
To cut the mustard is “to reach or surpass the desired standard or performance” or more generally “to succeed, to have the ability to do something.” For instance, Beyoncé really cut the mustard in her new song.What does it mean to go whole hog?
informal. : to do something in a very thorough and complete way If we're going to have a party, we might as well go the whole hog and hire a band.What does the idiom have an axe to sharpen?
Definition of 'to have an axe to grind'If someone has an axe to grind, they are doing something for selfish reasons.
Can you spell axe without an E?
Ax and axe are both correct spellings. In fact, they are just different ways to spell the same word. The only difference between these words is regional. Ax (no 'e') is more common in the U.S., while British English-speaking countries prefer axe (with the 'e').What does being at sixes and sevens mean?
phrase [usually verb-link PHRASE] If you say that someone or something is at sixes and sevens, you mean that they are confused or disorganized.Where does kick the bucket originate?
An archaic use of bucket was a beam from which a pig is hung by its feet prior to being slaughtered, and to kick the bucket originally signified the pig's death throes.What is the meaning of a chip of the old block?
Definition of chip off the old blockAn expression used of people who closely resemble their parents in some way: “Mark just won the same sailboat race his father won twenty years ago; he's a chip off the old block.”
