grin and bear it

Idioms and Phrases

Put up good-humoredly with adversity, with good humor, as in It's no fun being sick for the holidays, but you might as well grin and bear it . Also put as grin and abide in the 19th century, this expression became so well known that Sam Walter Foss (1858–1911) made a pun on it in his poem, “The Firm of Grin and Barrett”: “Never yet was any panic Scared the firm of Grin and Barrett.”

Example Sentences

The book highlights examples of everyone from Dean Martin to her own band members making jokes in public about Cass's weight, and how she would have to "grin and bear it" to survive, especially when it came to TV appearances.

From BBC

But for a chance to see their idol, many of her fans are willing to grin and bear it.

From BBC

Mr and Mrs Stevens spent the 17-day holiday by a "quieter" pool with other older guests but there was no "Dominican vibe" and it was just a case of having to "grin and bear it".

From BBC

He says that workers in their 50s and 60s should be held harmless, but that younger workers should grin and bear it.

From Los Angeles Times

But she doesn’t have to grin and bear it when it comes to bad behavior from fans.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• brave
• encounter
• experience
• face
• feel
• go through
• know
• ride out
• suffer
• sustain
• tolerate
• undergo
• weather
• withstand