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ax to grind

noun

Etymology

A reference to someone sharpening an axe with the intent to kill someone.

Definitions

  1. A proposition or point of view to advocate, especially motivated by self-interest.

    • “See,” Koteks said, “if you can get them to drop their clause on patents. That, lady, is my ax to grind.”
    • The design has had a rather contentious journey through the various technical committees set up by the EEC to study the problem; individual member nations with particular axes to grind holding up the proceedings at regular intervals.

  2. A grudge or grievance, with implications of confrontation.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for ax to grind. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA