Meaning: Have a dispute or issue with another (definition). Also, having self-interest for doing something (definition).


Example: In being left paying for lunch, I had an ax to grind with my colleague. (Also: Holding the luncheon at his restaurant where he stood to make a lot of money, he had a pretty big ax to grind.)
Origins: (Source1.) (Source2.)
Rewrites: an ax to hone an ax to wield a grumble to parlay an office to tend a gift horse to feed a sugar daddy to sweeten

Discussion: I’ve attempted to serve both versions, first in the top three then in the bottom three.