AN AX TO GRIND
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An Ax to Grind
An ax to grind means you have an unresolved&nbsp;problem with someone
 
 

If you have an ax to grind with someone, you have a problem with them, or a complaint against them, which you'd like to discuss. 
 
 

For example:
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 I have an ax to grind with Mitch. He owes me money and he's been avoiding me.
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Note: 1. The spelling &quot;ax&quot;, as opposed to &quot;axe&quot;, is the more common spelling in American English. 2. Another idiom with a similar meaning is &quot;to have a bone to pick&quot; with someone. 
 
 
Origin:
Benjamin Franklin published a lot of stories, one of which he was the central character. Franklin was approached my a stranger who stopped to admire the family grindstone. He asked to be shown how it worked and offered Ben Franklin an ax to demonstrate. Once the ax was sharp the stranger walked off laughing. Today &ldquo;having an ax to grind&rdquo; means that someone has an unsettled argument or matter.