Have an axe to grind
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Possess a private, often selfish motive or grievance that shapes one's advice, argument, or involvement in a matter. Usually critical. American spelling commonly uses 'ax'; British spelling usually retains 'axe.' Regional use: American in origin; now general English.
Origin
The metaphor comes from a cautionary American story printed anonymously by Charles Miner in 1810 and under his name in 1812. In it, a flattering stranger persuades a boy to turn a grindstone so the stranger can sharpen his axe, leaving the boy used and unrewarded. Later retellings often credited Benjamin Franklin, but the anecdote is not in Franklin's autobiography and Miner is the documented author who put the wording into circulation. The modern sense shifted from having work for another person to do toward harboring an interested motive.
Research Sources
Variants
- Have an ax to grind
- An axe to grind
- An ax to grind
Usage Examples
- The consultant praised the costly upgrade, but he had an axe to grind: his firm sold it.
- I have no ax to grind; either supplier would meet our needs.
- Her review sounded less impartial once readers learned she had an old axe to grind with the author.