to throw the hatchet
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To exaggerate heavily, tell falsehoods. In allusion to an ancient game where hatchets were thrown at a mark, like quoits. It means the same as drawing the longbow (q.v.).
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to throw the hatchet” mean?
To exaggerate heavily, tell falsehoods. In allusion to an ancient game where hatchets were thrown at a mark, like quoits. It means the same as drawing the longbow (q.v.).
Is “to throw the hatchet” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.