bite the bullet

1. To adjust to unpleasant circumstances: “The severe drought is forcing everybody to bite the bullet and use less water.” Before anesthesia, people undergoing surgery would bite on a bullet to help them withstand the pain.

Idioms and Phrases

Behave bravely or stoically when facing pain or a difficult situation, as in If they want to cut the budget deficit, they are going to have to bite the bullet and find new sources of revenue . This phrase is of military origin, but the precise allusion is uncertain. Some say it referred to the treatment of a wounded soldier without anesthesia, so that he would be asked to bite on a lead bullet during treatment. Also, Francis Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1796) holds that grenadiers being disciplined with the cat-o'nine-tails would bite on a bullet to avoid crying out in pain.

Example Sentences

He said he and his wife Carol would have to "bite the bullet" when it came to their finances.

From BBC

"There was just something about this year where I thought if I didn't apply I would probably just sit and watch it and regret that I didn't. I just thought 'bite the bullet... what's the worst that could happen?'."

From BBC

“They’re just going to bite the bullet and do it,” Reames said by phone.

From Seattle Times

“I’ll bite the bullet again,” Gobert said after that game.

From Seattle Times

“I’ll bite the bullet again,” Gobert said.

From Seattle Times