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Glite Dictionary
to sheathe the sword

to sheathe the sword

8.2
Stop fighting and try to be friends again
  • idiom
translation icon : dejar de luchar
  • After years of rivalry, both companies agreed to sheathe the sword and partner on a new project.

Examples

  • They finally chose to sheathe the sword and rebuild their friendship.

  • It's time to sheathe the sword and find common ground.

  • It's important for leaders to sheathe the sword when negotiations reach a critical point.

  • Let's sheathe the sword!

  • After years of rivalry, both companies agreed to sheathe the sword and partner on a new project.

  • It's important for leaders to sheathe the sword when negotiations reach a critical point.

  • They finally chose to sheathe the sword and rebuild their friendship.

Synonyms

to make peace
vsto sheathe the sword
89 3.4

To stop arguing and become friendly again

stops fighting but may not restore friendly relations
to keep the peace
vsto sheathe the sword
38 3.7

Prevent people from arguing or fighting so things stay calm

focuses on ending existing conflict rather than ongoing prevention
to pacify
vsto sheathe the sword
8 6.3

To bring peace to a place after fighting, often by using force

ends hostilities by agreement rather than by imposed force

Antonyms

to fight
∞ 1.0

To take part in a physical or verbal struggle against someone

How Peaceful

to sheathe the sword
8.2
to fight
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

sheathe infinitive
sheathed past
sheathed past participle
sheatheing present participle
sheathes third person singular

Morphology

sheathe + the + sword

The meaning 'to stop fighting; make peace' is directly derivable from combining 'sheathe' (to place a sword into a sheath) with 'sword' — putting a weapon away naturally signals ending hostilities. This concrete, compositional action maps onto a common cross-linguistic practice (laying down arms), so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would likely infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Sheathe the sword comes from the image of someone putting a sharp sword back into its cover called a 'sheath', so it is no longer ready to fight. By putting the weapon away, the person shows they will stop fighting, so the phrase means 'to stop fighting' or 'make peace'.