ax to grind vs compliment

ax to grind

noun
  • A grudge or grievance, with implications of confrontation. 

  • A proposition or point of view to advocate, especially motivated by self-interest. 

compliment

noun
  • An expression of praise, congratulation, or respect. 

  • Complimentary language; courtesy, flattery. 

verb
  • To pay a compliment (to someone); to express a favourable opinion (of someone). 

How often have the words ax to grind and compliment occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )