A bone to pick is an idiom that means having a grievance or a complaint that needs to be discussed with someone. It implies that the person who has a bone to pick is annoyed or angry about something that the other person has done or said, and wants to confront them about it. The origin of this expression is uncertain, but some possible sources are:
- The ancient practice of dogs fighting over bones, which could lead to quarrels and disputes among them.
- The medieval custom of leaving a bone on the table after a meal to indicate that there was still something to be settled or argued about.
- The 16th-century proverb “He that hath a good crow to pick, let him seek a good tree to sit on”, which meant that if someone had a serious matter to dispute, they should find a suitable place and time to do so.
Some examples of how to use this idiom are:
- I have a bone to pick with you, John. You promised to help me with the project, but you never showed up.
- She had a bone to pick with her boss, who had given her a poor performance review.
- He didn’t want to have a bone to pick with his neighbor, who had a noisy dog, so he tried to be friendly and polite.
Some synonyms of this expression are:
- have a score to settle
- have an axe to grind
- have a beef
- have a grudge
