Meaning
A private grievance or ulterior motive.
Primary Function
Hidden agenda indication.
Communicative Purpose
To suspect someone’s criticism is biased.
Pattern
an axe to grind
Core Structure
an axe to grind
Função primária
Hidden agenda indication.
Propósito comunicativo
To suspect someone’s criticism is biased.
Situações de gatilho
Biased complaints, personal feuds.
Contextos
Politics, workplace conflicts.
Padrão
an axe to grind
Estrutura central
an axe to grind
Slots de substituição
none
Colocados típicos
- seems to
- might
- clearly
Substituições comuns
- have a bone to pick (specific issue)
Erros comuns
*an ax to grind* (AmE spelling okay) / *axe to grind against*
Similar / contraste
personal vendetta
Interferências
Not about tools.
Família do chunk
- Grievance idioms
Nuance
Negative, distrustful.
Efeito pragmático
Undermines someone’s objectivity.
Dica de memória
Person with axe waiting to sharpen at stone, seeking argument.
Nota
This idiom is often used to express skepticism about someone's motives, implying that their actions or words are driven by a personal agenda rather than objective reasoning.
Upgrade path
harbour a personal resentment (formal)
Log in to save chunks.