taking one's medicine
Facing deserved repercussions
Taking one's medicine means accepting an unpleasant consequence or difficult situation without complaint, especially when deserved.
The phrase extends from literal medicine—often bitter or unwanted but necessary—to any hardship one must endure: He knew he'd been wrong and was ready to take his medicine.
It implies stoic acceptance rather than resistance or self-pity.
- reckoningSettlement of accounts
- stoicismUncomplaining acceptance of difficulty
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- treatmentCare for an ailment
- prescriptionMedical dispensing authorization
perseverance · remedy · learning · maturity · comeuppance · justice · compliance · restitution · humility · hard lesson · confession · culpability · owning up · bitter pill · bitter truth · atonement · swallowing pride · eating crow
taking one's medicineslipping away
Gradually leaving or diminishing
taking one's medicinemaking excuses
Offering justifications for shortcomings
pointing fingers · playing the victim · denial · blame-shifting · scapegoating
taking one's medicinewhining
Prolonged nasal complaining
complaining · throwing a tantrum · sulking · kicking and screaming · making a scene
takes, taking, takings, medicine, medicines, medicinal, medically, medical, medicate