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Explaining "Bite the bullet"

Reviewed and edited by Anwar Kareem 13/11/2024, 12:18
English.me team member

What does it mean?

Bite the bullet

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.

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