What does it Mean to ‘Have an Ax to Grind’?

To have an ax to grind means to have an ulterior motive or a hidden agenda to do something.

There are several theories regarding the source of this phrase, but the following story from a novel seemed plausible to me.

In this story, a man with an ax takes advantage of a little boy’s innocence. He tricks the boy into turning the grindstone for him so that his ax is sharpened and then leaves without paying. It means that the man had an ulterior or selfish motive all along.

Thus, to have an ax to grind has become synonymous with having a hidden agenda or motive behind doing something.

For example —

“His criticism of my book isn’t bona fide. He obviously has an ax to grind, as his own wife has recently published a book on the same topic.”

It means that he has a selfish reason to criticize my book. He obviously wants his wife’s book to gain more publicity and sales.

Over time, another meaning has also gotten associated with this phrase and that is — to have a grudge; to have a dispute or an issue to discuss”.

For example —

“I have an ax to grind with the principal over the way he talked to me in front of my students.”

I have an issue to discuss with the principal.

I hope you found this story interesting. If you did, buy my full course on Udemy, or watch it for free on Skillshare by signing up here. This course covers nearly 380 idioms with their origins and backstories.

Hi, I am Gauri Shanker, a Vocab teacher and enthusiast. I teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. You can check out my courses here.