offer the olive branch (to someone)



offer the olive branch (to someone)

To extend an offer or gesture of peace, reconciliation, truce, etc. (to someone), so as to end a disagreement or dispute. (Can also be formulated as "offer someone the olive branch.") The conservatives in Congress seem to be offering the olive branch to Democrats on the issue of raising the debt ceiling. If you find yourself in a spat with a friend, try to be the bigger person and be the one to offer the olive branch. I was still hurt by the way my parents had lied to me, but I decided to offer them the olive branch at Christmas.
See also: branch, offer, olive

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
LyraLIE-rə (English), LEE-rə (English)Astronomy
Samİ-Turkish
Erlendur-Icelandic
Shu-Chinese
Xiomara-Spanish
Boucher[bu:'ʃei]