English Reference
Idiom idiom

squash the beef


To resolve a grudge.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

They decided to squash the beef and be friends again.

CONTEXTUAL

After arguing for months about the project, the two coworkers finally sat down to squash the beef.

COMPLEX

Despite their long-standing rivalry, the two leaders eventually agreed to squash the beef in order to focus on the common goals of their organizations.


From the noun beef, denoting a grudge or a dispute, with squash functioning as a verb of suppression. The term describes the resolution of an existing conflict.


Related idioms3entries
  1. 01

    beef to the hoof

    fat, chubby, particularly with fat legs.

  2. 02

    what's the beef

    Why are you complaining? What are you complaining about?

  3. 03

    where's the beef

    Where is the content? So what?

Last updated August 10, 2026