Explaining "Bite the bullet"
Reviewed and edited by
Anwar Kareem 13/11/2024, 12:18
English.me team member
What does it mean?
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To face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage and determination.
Tone
Resilient and determined
Origin
The phrase is believed to have originated from the practice during battles of having soldiers bite on a bullet to help cope with pain in the absence of anesthesia during surgery.
Examples of usage
- I really didn't want to sit through that three-hour meeting, but I knew I had to bite the bullet and get it over with.
- She decided to bite the bullet and finally confront her boss about the overdue raise.