Example
“She took the bull by the horns and confronted her landlord about the leak.”
Recorded usage
These full forms were measured in COCA in 2016–2017. Counts apply to the quoted form, not every use of this idiom; overlapping forms are not added together.
- “Take the bull by the horns” — 28 recorded occurrences
- “Take the bull by the balls” — 0 recorded occurrences
Grouped source variants; editorially classified here as an idiom. Usage counts are separate from CEFR difficulty.
Dictionary details
Tags
Related idioms
Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.
kick off
CEFR B1to begin an event, meeting, or project
pull the trigger
CEFR B1to finally make a decision and act on it
beat around the bush
CEFR B2To avoid talking about the main point directly.
bite the bullet
CEFR B2To force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult that you have been avoiding.
call a spade a spade
CEFR B2to speak plainly and directly, even bluntly
come into play
CEFR B2to start to have an effect or become relevant
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.