The Meaning Of An Olive Branch
In biblical accounts extending an olive branch meant the ending of hostilities between two parties and signaled the end of the conflict.
The meaning of an olive branch. To extend an olive branch is an ancient symbol meaning let us make peace. Its origins as a symbol of peace come from ancient greek culture when athena planted an olive tree to win possession of athens over poseidon. If you find yourself in a spat with a friend try to be the bigger person and be the one to hold out the olive branch. Since then it has been used throughout many different cultures around the world.
A symbol expression or gesture of peace reconciliation truce etc. An offer or gesture of conciliation or goodwill. Cobuild advanced english dictionary. Countable noun usu sing if you offer an olive branch to someone you say or do something in order to show that you want to end a disagreement or quarrel.
The sign that the flood is over is an olive branch brought back to the ark by a dove. An offer of peace. Definition of olive branch. Clarke also offered an olive branch to critics in his party.
It became associated with peace in modern europe and is also used in the arab world. In ancient greek and other mediterranean cultures the olive was a symbol of peace probably in part because its wood was not suitable for making weapons. Olive branch definition a branch of the olive tree as an emblem of peace. The term to extend an olive branch means to make an offer of peace or reconciliation.
Olive branches were also symbols of peace in ancient greece and rome and they continue to be used in various works of art that are meant to suggest peace from murals to patches. The olive branch is a symbol of peace or victory allegedly deriving from the customs of ancient greece particularly regarding supplication to both the gods and persons in power and is found in most cultures of the mediterranean basin. A branch of an olive tree regarded as an emblem of peace. This term has biblical origins coming from the section of the old testament that deals with the flood.
A branch of the olive tree especially when used as a symbol of peace. Used most commonly in the phrase hold out offer someone an the olive branch the conservatives in congress seem to be offering the olive branch to democrats on the issue of raising the debt ceiling. In the fifth century bc the greeks were already using it for a symbol of peace. The olive branch has been a symbol for a very long time and not just for those in the bible.
It indicates a willingness to bring a conflict either national or personal to a conclusion.