bite the bullet
Accept unavoidable pain
To bite the bullet is to face something painful or difficult with courage, accepting what must be done rather than avoiding it: I finally bit the bullet and scheduled the surgery.
The phrase suggests steeling oneself for an unpleasant but necessary action.
It may derive from patients biting down on something during surgery before anesthesia, though this origin is disputed.
Continue despite obstacles
- withstandRemain intact despite pressure
- bearLarge furry omnivore
- toleratePermit without approval
- sufferExperience pain or distress
undergo · weather · outlast · survive · endure · grit · resilience · stamina
Bind to a course
- decideReach a conclusion
- chooseSelect from alternatives
- resolveFirmness of purpose
- determineEstablish through investigation
take action · cross the Rubicon · point of no return · leap of faith · moment of truth · now or never · do or die · seize the moment
Boldness before danger
- nerveSignal-carrying body fiber
- gutsEntrails or boldness
- pluckSpirit or yank
- mettleStrength of character
boldness · daring · fearlessness · valor · fortitude · backbone · spunk · moxie
Consent to receive
- faceHead's anterior surface
- confrontFace squarely, address directly
- embraceHold closely in arms
- acknowledgeConfirm receipt or truth
come to terms · resign oneself · acquiesce · reconcile · submit · yield · capitulate · concede
Requiring much effort
- unpleasantCausing discomfort or distaste
- painfulCausing hurt or ache
- inevitableCertain to occur
- unavoidableImpossible to prevent
necessary evil · bitter pill · lesser evil · rock and a hard place · last resort · ordeal · trial
persevere
Continue despite obstacles
suffer · undergo · weather · outlast · survive · endure · grit · resilience · stamina · patience
commit
Bind to a course
determine · take action · cross the Rubicon · point of no return · leap of faith · moment of truth · now or never · do or die · seize the moment · pull the trigger
bravery
Boldness before danger
mettle · boldness · daring · fearlessness · valor · fortitude · backbone · spunk · moxie · gallantry
accept
Consent to receive
acknowledge · come to terms · resign oneself · acquiesce · reconcile · submit · yield · capitulate · concede · swallow
difficult
Requiring much effort
- unpleasantCausing discomfort or distaste
- painfulCausing hurt or ache
- inevitableCertain to occur
unavoidable · necessary evil · bitter pill · lesser evil · rock and a hard place · last resort · ordeal · trial
- common sayingsproverbs, idioms, cliches, maxims, adages
- Old Idiomsbeyond the pale, hue and cry, scot-free, knight in shining armor, eat humble pie
- decisionschoice, make a decision, choices, yes, no
- idiomstime flies, hit the sack, seize the day, ring a bell, break a leg
- folk sayingsproverb, adage, maxim, folk saying, old saying
- phrases about braverylion heart, nerves of steel, no fear, bold as brass, stand your ground
bite the bulletbury one's head in the sand
Avoid acknowledging uncomfortable truths
chicken out · run away · procrastinate · dodge · evade
bite, biting, bullet, bitten, bulletin, bites, bullets, bulletproof, biter