ENGLISH
REFERENCE

bury the hatchet

idiom
Meaning

To cease fighting or arguing; to reach an agreement, or at least a truce.


Origin

disputed origin

The phrase is an allusion to the figurative or literal practice of putting away the tomahawk at the cessation of hostilities among or by Native Americans in the Eastern United States, specifically during the formation of the Iroquois Confederacy, and in Iroquois custom in general. Weapons were to be buried or otherwise cached in time of peace.

Examples
SIMPLE

It is time to bury the hatchet and be friends again.

CONTEXTUAL

After years of arguing about the property line, the neighbors finally decided to bury the hatchet.

COMPLEX

Despite their long history of political disagreement, the two leaders chose to bury the hatchet for the sake of the country's future.

Anchors to
Related idioms4entries
  1. 01

    bury one's head in the sand

    To deliberately ignore the reality of a situation; to pretend a problem does not exist.

  2. 02

    bury the lede

    To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.

  3. 03

    hatchet man

    A male who carries out brutal and unpleasant duties on behalf of another, such as firing dead wood employees.

  4. 04

    take up the hatchet

    To declare war or go to war.

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