Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

After years of intense rivalry over market share, the two tech executives decided to bury the hatchet and work together on a joint venture. What is the meaning of the underlined expression as used in the sentence?

  1. A
    dig up and dispose of an ancient weapon
  2. B
    intensify their conflict to defeat each other
  3. make peace and settle their differencesAnswer
  4. D
    merge their companies into a single corporate entity

Answer

make peace and settle their differences
The idiomatic expression 'bury the hatchet' historically originates from a peace ceremony and figuratively means to end a quarrel, cease hostilities, and make peace.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the idiomatic expression in the sentence.
The target expression is 'bury the hatchet'.
Understanding the figurative nature of the idiom in context is essential for selecting the correct interpretation.
2
Analyze the contextual clue 'and work together on a joint venture'.
The sentence describes former rivals agreeing to collaborate harmoniously.
Contextual clues confirm that hostility has ended.
3
Match the idiom to its figurative definition.
'Bury the hatchet' means to forget past quarrels and make peace.
This directly aligns with ending their long-standing rivalry.

Key Concept

Interpretation of Idiomatic Expressions in Context
Rate this question

Topics

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

More questions from this topic