What does ‘bury the hatchet’ mean?
To “bury the hatchet” means to end a quarrel and make peace. Brewer's traces the phrase to the Native American custom of literally burying weapons of war as a symbolic pledge of peace.
Origin
- Brewer's traces the phrase to the Native American custom of literally burying weapons of war as a symbolic pledge of peace.
How to use it
- Standard call for reconciliation.
- Example: It's time to bury the hatchet and move on.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.