If you have an axe to grind, it means you are holding a grudge or want to pursue a particular agenda (e.g., “Everyone could see that John had come to the meeting with an axe to grind”).
Having an axe to grind is an example of an idiom, where the meaning of the phrase is not what it says literally.
You can imagine that in a situation where there is a line of people waiting to use a public grind wheel, someone who is waiting to grind their axe will be a little impatient and focused on getting the job done. This is having an axe to grind.
In American English, axe and ax are interchangeable, so you may see the expression spelled as ax to grind.
Continue reading: What does axe to grind mean?
A battle-axe or battleaxe (or, in the US, battle-ax) is traditionally an axe designed for use in battle. It is also a disparaging term for a woman who is seen as belligerent or bellicose. It is best avoided, seeing as it relies on a stereotype of a woman who is docile and gentle.
The battle-axe was used for many centuries across many cultures as a relatively cheap weapon that was simple to manufacture and could inflict devastating wounds.
The QuillBot Paraphrasing Tool can help you find alternatives to battle-axe to reflect your intended meaning.
Continue reading: What is a battle-axe?
Yes, axe is correct in American English, and is actually the more common spelling. However, some style guides require that it be spelled ax, so it is important to check.
And remember, being consistent is also important. Don’t switch between ax and axe. Choose one and stick to it.
Axe is a noun that describes a long-handled tool with a sharpened, wedge-shaped cutting head used to chop things (typically wood).
It is also a regular verb, describing the action of chopping with the eponymous tool.
To make sure you have the right spelling of ax or axe, you can use the QuillBot Grammar Checker.
Continue reading: Is axe correct in American English?
When you “spill the beans,” you confess or share something that you know in confidence. It is somewhat informal and is unlikely to be used to describe, for example, betraying state secrets.
- Caruthers spilled the beans about the location of the safe house.
- Alan could never keep a secret and spilled the beans about the surprise party.
When you are using the past participle, bear in mind that it is spelled differently in American English and British English. In American English the past participle is spilled, and in British English it is spilt.
Continue reading: What does spill the beans mean?
The full saying, “There’s no use crying over spilled milk,” means that we shouldn’t waste time regretting something that cannot be changed. There’s nothing that can be done once the milk is spilled except clean up and move on.
Spill is a regular verb in American English and irregular in British English. In American English, the simple past tense form and past participle are both spilled. British English shares the same past tense, but the past participle is spilt.
To make sure you have the right spelling of spilt or spilled, you can use the QuillBot Grammar Checker.
Continue reading: What does crying over spilled milk mean?
A carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams. It is a measurement used to describe the mass of diamonds. A common mistake is to think that it describes the dimensions of a gem, but this is not the case.
In British English, carat is also used to describe the purity of gold. In American English, it is usually spelled karat. In both cases, 24 carat/karat gold refers to 100 percent pure gold.
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you ensure you are using the correct spelling of carat/karat.
Continue reading: How big is a carat?
Yes, caret is a word. It is the name for this symbol: “^”. It is used in the publishing industry to indicate where an insertion needs to be made. It is sometimes written in subscript: “^”.
Although it is pronounced the same, its meaning is not related to carat or karat, which are terms used to measure gold and gemstones.
You can use the QuillBot Grammar Checker to ensure you use words like caret correctly.
Continue reading: Is caret a word?
In American English, the usual spelling is karat, although carat is also acceptable. In British English, the measurement of the purity of gold is spelled carat.
You can use the QuillBot Grammar Checker to ensure your spelling of carat/karat is correct.
Continue reading: Is it 24 carat or 24 karat gold?
Acknowledgement is a noun that means “recognition” (e.g., “Phil’s bonus was in acknowledgement/recognition of his successful campaign”).
Acknowledgement is spelled differently in British English (acknowledgement) and American English (acknowledgment).
If you are following a style guide, then make sure you use the correct form. If you are not following a guide, then the important thing is to be consistent in your use of British or American spellings.
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you maintain consistent spelling in your writing.
Continue reading: What does acknowledgement mean?
In the US, a bank account that issues a checkbook is a checking account. The equivalent account in the UK is called a current account, and it usually comes with a chequebook.
The spelling of check for every other meaning is the same in American English and British English.
You can make sure your spelling of check or cheque is correct using the QuillBot Grammar Checker.
Continue reading: Is it checking account or chequing account?
