English idiom

bite the bullet

Register · Neutral CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

To force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult that you have been avoiding.

Why this phrase?

From soldiers biting a bullet to endure pain before anesthesia existed.

Example

“I finally bit the bullet and booked the dentist appointment.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

take the plunge

to make a bold commitment after a period of hesitation

when push comes to shove

when mounting pressure makes decisive action unavoidable

when the chips are down

at a moment of crisis when pressure forces an important choice

at a pinch

if it becomes absolutely necessary, though the option is barely adequate

easier said than done

Something that sounds simple to do but is actually hard.

hang in there

to persevere and not give up despite difficulty

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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