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Glite Dictionary
to extend an olive branch

to extend an olive branch

2 4.2
Offer to make peace after an argument
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : ofrecer una rama de olivo
  • The manager decided to extend an olive branch to his team after the recent disagreements to improve morale.

Examples

  • After their argument, she decided to extend an olive branch and invite him for coffee.

  • I just wanted to come by and extend an olive branch.

    National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002)

  • I'm extending an olive branch to Mrs. Roosevelt.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • I'm gonna see Dan, I'm gonna shake his hand, I'm gonna extend an olive branch to him...

    Life of the Party (2018)

  • I extend an olive branch, and you're gonna pitch it in the trash?

    This Is Where I Leave You (2014)

  • There's something inherently ignorant about the youth and libs in general who think we need to extend an olive branch to everyone.

    Blog text (7)

  • It was, after all, BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who first extended an olive branch to Pakistan in 1999.

    Blog text (23)

  • In an effort to mend their relationship, he wanted to extend an olive branch by apologizing.

Synonyms

to make peace
vsto extend an olive branch
89 3.4

To stop arguing and become friendly again

is more about offering peace personally rather than the general outcome
to reconcile
vsto extend an olive branch
38 5.1

To become friendly again after a disagreement

is focused on offering peace as a first step after a conflict
to bury the hatchet
vsto extend an olive branch
  • Informal
12 3.7

Make peace with someone after an argument

is specifically a gesture offering peace to the other person after a disagreement
to settle a disagreement
vsto extend an olive branch
1 3.1

Make people or groups agree after an argument

is an offer of peace rather than only achieving a practical agreement
to conciliate
vsto extend an olive branch
1 7.9

To stop people being angry and make them friendly again

is a personal offer of peace rather than a neutral act of calming

Antonyms

to break with
23 4.1

End a relationship with someone or something in a clear, final way

escalation of tensions
1 6.5

A rise in conflict or angry feelings between groups

How Reconciliatory

to make peace
89 3.4
to extend an olive branch
  • Informal
2 4.2
to reach out
338 2.7

Surface Forms

extend an olive branch infinitive
extended an olive branch past
extended an olive branch past participle
extending an olive branch present participle
extends an olive branch third person singular

Morphology

extend + an + olive + branch

Although 'extend' (to offer) plus 'branch' (a piece of a tree) yields a literal image of offering a branch, the specific meaning 'offer of peace/reconciliation' depends on the cultural-symbolic use of the olive branch rather than predictable composition. Many learners who know the individual words but lack cultural or idiomatic knowledge will not infer the peace sense, so the expression is partially but not fully transparent.

Etymology

The idiom extend an olive branch comes from an old custom where people gave an olive branch to show they came in peace. So, to extend an olive branch today means 'to offer peace or try to make up'.