BURNING QUESTION, BURY THE HATCHET, BUTT IN: American English Idioms #31

BURNING QUESTION

A question that is often asked is about how to have a better understanding of public opinion. It can be helpful to use polls that are open-ended, where respondents are able to provide their own responses. This might help avoid unintentional biases, for example on the part of the pollster.

A burning question is one that encompasses a great deal of detail. There are two types of burning questions: content-burning and rhetorical-burning. A rhetorical burning question is defined as the act of posing a question to provoke the response one desires, often to make an argument. Content-burning questions are those for which there is no clear answer or the answer may not be known by the person answering, such as “why is there gravity?

A burning question is a question that has not been answered and people are very interested in the answer. People use this as an idiom to suggest an important question, or one that needs attention.

BURY THE HATCHET

Burying the hatchet is a metaphor for reconciling with an enemy. The phrase emerged in the 17th century and is based on the war tactic of burying one’s weapons so as to avoid conflict.

The phrase “bury the hatchet” has two meanings. It can be interpreted either as a truce or as using violence to solve an argument. Bury the hatchet is typically used in the context of an argument between two people who are finally coming to an agreement, but it can also imply that they are not done fighting yet.

The phrase “bury the hatchet” means to reconcile, or make peace with a person or thing. In order to “bury the hatchet,” one must trade an argument for a peaceful resolution. One can also bury a hatchet in a piece of wood to make a handle for it.

The phrase bury the hatchet means to reconcile and end a conflict or disagreement. Hatchets were used as weapons and tools in the past but symbolizes reconciliation, as they are usually buried together with other items such as oars, anchors, and dead animals.

BUTT IN

To butt in is a common phrase used when one person offends a previous conversation by inserting a comment that the previous speakers do not require. When listening to others, it is important to understand when to speak up and when to keep silent. It is often rude to insert oneself into the back-and-forth between two people, but sometimes it can be necessary.

To butt in is an idiom which means to intrude or interrupt. It can also be used as a noun as well as a verb. In this case it is an idiom and the speaker would typically use complex academic jargon. There are many ways that someone might butt in, such as through a conversation, by being overly pushy, or if they have been invited to join a group but arrive late and feel like they should still have a say.

To butt in is to interrupt someone or to intrude. The phrase can be used when one is trying to solve an issue with someone else and the other person doesn’t want to cooperate. As an example, if you are discussing your children with your spouse and he decides to butt in, it could mean he takes a child without asking your permission and disagrees with what you said about how they should be disciplined.