bury the hatchet
Meaning
To end a conflict and make peace, especially after a disagreement or feud.
Origin
From a Native American tradition described in colonial-era accounts: warring parties would symbolically bury weapons (notably a hatchet) to signify peace and the end of hostilities.
Notes
Positive, peace-making tone. Implies choosing reconciliation and letting past conflict go. Used in personal, workplace, or political contexts; informal to neutral. Suggests mutual willingness, not one-sided surrender.
Examples
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After years of arguing, the two brothers finally decided to bury the hatchet.
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If we want this project to succeed, we need to bury the hatchet and work together.
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She reached out to her old friend to bury the hatchet and start fresh.
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The rivals agreed to bury the hatchet after the championship game.
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Itโs time to bury the hatchet and move on from what happened last year.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used as a verb phrase: โbury the hatchet,โ often with โwithโ + person (โbury the hatchet with himโ). Tense changes: buried/burying. Article โtheโ is fixed; word order is fixed.
Synonyms
- make peace
- reconcile
- call a truce
- patch things up
- make up
Antonyms
- hold a grudge
- keep fighting
- carry on a feud
- be at loggerheads