Bite the bullet

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Meaning

To endure a painful or unpleasant situation with courage and resolve. It suggests facing something difficult head-on rather than avoiding it.

Origin

Possibly from the practice of having patients clench a bullet between their teeth as a way to cope with pain during surgery before anesthetics were available, particularly in wartime settings.

Usage Examples

  • She decided to bite the bullet and finish the grueling marathon.
  • I had no choice but to bite the bullet and apologize for something I didn't do.
  • He bit the bullet and told his boss the hard truth.

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