nut up
Steel your nerves
Nut up means to summon courage or toughness, especially when facing something difficult or frightening: Time to nut up and have that conversation with your boss.
The phrase suggests growing a pair—developing the nerve to act.
Often appears in the expression nut up or shut up, meaning either find your courage or stop complaining.
Make harder to damage
- hardenMake or become firm
- steelCarbon-hardened iron alloy
- endureSuffer through without yielding
- persevereContinue despite obstacles
push through · power through · bear down · hang tough · stick it out · weather · withstand · fortify
Prepare mentally for difficulty
- backboneVertebral column, or courage
- gutsEntrails or boldness
- nerveSignal-carrying body fiber
- moxieSpirited boldness under pressure
get tough · pluck · grit · mettle · spunk · fortitude · bravery · boldness
Unpolished, raw state
- coarseRough in texture
- profaneIrreverent toward the sacred
- obsceneGrossly offensive to decency
- crassCrudely lacking refinement
off-color · salty · blue · locker room · macho · bro culture · testosterone
Head's anterior surface
- confrontFace squarely, address directly
- stand firmRefuse to retreat
- hold fastMaintain firm grip
- tackleGear or takedown
deal with · handle · stand your ground · dig in · push through · take on · stare down · face down
toughen
Make harder to damage
persevere · push through · power through · bear down · hang tough · stick it out · weather · withstand · fortify · strengthen
steel yourself
Prepare mentally for difficulty
get tough · moxie · pluck · grit · mettle · spunk · fortitude · bravery · boldness · fearlessness
crude
Unpolished, raw state
crass · off-color · salty · blue · locker room · macho · bro culture · testosterone
face
Head's anterior surface
- confrontFace squarely, address directly
- stand firmRefuse to retreat
- hold fastMaintain firm grip
tackle · deal with · handle · stand your ground · dig in · push through · take on · stare down · face down · own it
nut upchicken out
Withdraw due to fear
back down · wimp out · punk out · lose one's nerve · fold
nut upbreak down
Fail mechanically or emotionally
fall apart · lose it · crack · crumble · melt down