Bite the bullet
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Accept and face a painful, difficult, or unpleasant course of action with resolve, especially after hesitation.
Origin
The figurative expression is documented in nineteenth-century English; Merriam-Webster dates its first known use to 1844, while Rudyard Kipling's 1891 novel The Light That Failed supplied a well-known early example. A common explanation says patients or soldiers clenched a soft lead bullet during surgery or punishment, but the practice has not been securely shown to have coined the idiom. The most responsible conclusion is that the wording probably evokes enduring pain, while its precise route into figurative use remains uncertain.
Research Sources
Usage Examples
- I finally bit the bullet and told the client that the launch would be delayed.
- The roof will only get worse, so we should bite the bullet and replace it now.
- After weeks of indecision, Lena bit the bullet and booked the operation.