olive branch
olive branch — noun
1. a small branch taken from an olive tree, used in ancient times and still today a
a small branch taken from an olive tree, used in ancient times and still today as a sign of peace, friendship, or victory.
The ancient Greek athletes carried an olive branch as a sign of victory and peace.
olive branch as a sign of [concept]
Min saw a dried olive branch used in a ceremony over two thousand years ago.
countable: a dried olive branch
A white dove holding an olive branch appears on many flags and posters for peace.
The artist painted a dove with an olive branch above the leaders shaking hands.
Tunde placed an olive branch on the welcome table as a traditional symbol of goodwill.
文法句型
olive branch + of + [quality]
用法筆記
This sense refers to the actual tree branch. The figurative meaning (a peace offering) is far more common in modern everyday English.
常見錯誤
olive branch — idiom
1. an action, offer, or statement made to show that you want to stop arguing or fig
an action, offer, or statement made to show that you want to stop arguing or fighting with someone and start a friendly relationship again.
Gabriel extended an olive branch to his sister by inviting her to lunch.
extend an olive branch to [person]
The union offered an olive branch to the company by agreeing to delay the strike.
offer an olive branch to [organisation]
Diya saw the apology note as an olive branch and decided to forgive her roommate.
The neighbours held out an olive branch by returning their dog after years of conflict.
Sirin accepted the invitation as a genuine olive branch and met her old friend.
- peace offering
more direct and less metaphorical; roughly interchangeable
- gesture of goodwill
more formal, broader in meaning
- conciliatory gesture
formal register, often used in business or political contexts
- hand of friendship
idiomatic, emphasises relationship over conflict resolution
- provocation
an action meant to anger rather than to make peace
- ultimatum
a final demand with threats, opposite of a peace offering
文法句型
extend/offer/hold out + an olive branch + to + [person]
用法筆記
Commonly used with the verbs *extend*, *offer*, *hold out*, and *accept*. The phrase nearly always refers to improving a relationship — not to an actual tree branch.