This page contains one or more affiliate links. Usage of the phrase bite the bullet in real sentences. Example sentences containing bite the bullet from English sources Definition of bite the bullet, to in the Idioms Dictionary. " Biting the bullet " is a metaphor which is used to describe a situation, often a debate, where one accepts an inevitable impending hardship or hard-to-refute point, and then endures the resulting pain with fortitude. This phrase dates from the days before anaesthetics, when wounded soldiers were given a bullet or similar solid object to clench between their teeth when undergoing surgery. Its a fairly popular term, especially as a pop cultural cliche. I am genuinely sorry for the family and I hope they can apprehend the right person in the future." Example Conversations I dont want to call Jennifer to give her the bad news, but I should bite the bullet and let her know. English Dictionary Grammar Definition of 'to bite the bullet' to bite the bullet phrase If someone bites the bullet, they accept that they have to do something unpleasant but necessary . I'll bite the bullet without a complaint when I face my consequences. The phrase "bit the bullet" means to accept the reality and then face the consequences. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Together, we must brace ourselves. N.p. Third-party cookies like YouTube and Google Advertising cookies are not necessary for the functioning of the site and can be disabled at your preference. DICTIONARY bite the bullet verb To endure a punishment or consequence with dignity or stoicism. Bite the dust - Idioms by The Free Dictionary . To bear up in an unpleasant or a difficult situation. In the days before anesthesia, a wounded soldier about to undergo surgery was given a bullet to clamp in his teeth and bear down on so he wouldn't bite off his tongue from the pain. Many idioms become a cliche in their use, meaning they are overused or create a stereotype. English Idioms & Sayings 3 subscribers Subscribe 2 Share 20 views 1 day ago #idioms #english #learnenglish Idioms are powerful. I had an unbearable toothache, so I bit the bullet and visited a dentist. To face a difficult situation bravely. 4 The Economist Of course, a utilitarian may here bite the bullet by denying the outrage, but others will find the bullet too hard to bite. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. face up to doing something difficult or unpleasant; stoically avoid showing fear or distress. On the battlefield, what was primarily available was a bullet or a leather strap. 1Jarvie, Gordon. The same stressful event might make one person utterly miserable, while another will bite the bullet and make the best of it. To brace oneself against pain or a difficult experience. Come on, Graeme Souness and Freddy Shepherd, Sometimes you're not given the credit for being a clever individual and to add to that I think you need to realise you sometimes have to, JUST occasionally a race jumps off the page as must-see, and that is definitely the case with Sunderland's 9.08pm over 640m at Sunderland tonight, when the proven six-bend class of, But Mr Prescott is likely to order Railtrack and the train leasing operators to. Edmund Burke. The phrase may have also been used more broadly to describe any situation where someone needed to endure a difficult or painful experience with courage and fortitude. Subscribe to our YouTube channel! [idiom] more_vert. bite the bullet, to; bite the dog that bit you; bite the dust; bite the dust, to; to force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult, or to be brave in a difficult situation: I hate going to the dentist, but I'll just have to bite the bullet. For example, someone might say that a person needs to bite the bullet and confront a difficult colleague, or that they need to bite the bullet and deal with a difficult health issue. "It's not just about having talent; it's about letting people see you, in class, at lunch, at the auditions, at the performances," said Spaulding, who, Though the clients did not require any corporate identification on this occasion, the architects. Therefore if they bit the bullet they would be doing something they werent comfortable with. Bite the bullet. Getting your car repaired is often an expensive business, but all you can do is bite the bullet and pay up. to avoid showing fear or discomfort in an unpleasant situation Example Sentences When the time comes, I'll bite the bullet and take my punishment without a fuss. For example, "Now, I need to bite the bullet and clean the house." bite the bullet; bite the bullet; bite the bullet; bite the bullet; bite the bullet; bite the bullet, to; bite the dog that bit you . If your internet connection isn't working, you'll probably have to bite the bullet and phone the technical support department. Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms. So where did this idiom originate? We may earn a commission from your purchases. avaler la pilule {vb} [coll.] What does bullet expression mean? To bite the bullet is something of a cliche due to its Wild West pop culture reputation, but the actual history behind the phrase is rather interesting. This expression is believed to come from the days when those wounded in battle had to be treated without anesthesia and were made to bite on a lead bullet to brace themselves against the pain of surgery. Watch the full video below to learn about the idiom, to bite the bullet. "Bite the bullet" is an informal phrase that means "to do something unpleasant or painful because it is necessary even though you would like to avoid it." For example, you may not want to spend a lot of money on a new car, but if you know yours is beginning to break down a lot, you might have to bite the bullet and buy a new one. The phrase can also be used to describe someone who has already faced a difficult situation with courage and determination. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping usto understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. The adjective phrase can be placed before or after the noun or pronoun in the sentence. New Video, 10 Idiom Examples with Reworded Sentences https://youtu.be/6n3G5vXQ00A Learn the meaning and the origin of the English idiom 'bite the bullet' and. Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. Advertising cookies are used to serve personalized ads. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/bit+the+bullet. Rudyard Kipling wrote, "'Steady, Dickie, steady!' said the deep voice. Click on the arrows to change the translation direction. 2 The New York Times "You bite the bullet". Oxford: Oxford U, 2010. Today, the phrase is used more broadly to encourage someone to face any difficult or unpleasant situation with courage and determination. The phrase is thought to have come from the military, perhaps because biting a bullet was a common practice for patients, due to a lack of anesthesia. to force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult, or to be brave in a difficult situation: I hate going to the dentist, but I'll just have to bite the bullet. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2016 where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. I don't actually enjoy cleaning, but I bite the bullet and do it so that everything in my house isn't covered in a thick layer of dust. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases Brave and courageous adventurous adventurously audacious ballsy be man enough to do something idiom fearless fearlessly gallant gallantly A soldier who, as the term is, sings out at the halberts. Overall, the phrase is a way to encourage someone to face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage and determination. Meaning: quarrel and break off friendship with someone, Example: Both of them parted off rags with each other after a misunderstanding between them due to the other person. To do or accept something unpleasant, often after a period of hesitation. For each question, replace a word or words in a sentence with the idiom so that the meaning of the sentence is not changed. A time might come when you have to bite the bullet yourself. The phrase is thought to have come from the military, perhaps because biting a bullet was a common practice for patients, due to a lack of anaesthesia. You are just going to have to bite the bullet and make the best of it. The English language is full of idiomatic phrases or terms that mean something other than what they literally suggest. Subscribe to receive new idiom updates by email. Definition of bite in the Idioms Dictionary. The phrase bite the bullet is an idiomatic expression that is used to encourage someone to endure a painful or difficult situation with courage and determination. (Underworld.) I thought this idioms came from the Civil War in the US? We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), Third-Act Encores: True Tales of Peoples Best Later-in-Life Accomplishments, Peek vs. Peak vs. Pique: Heres How to Use Them the Right Way, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 3 The New York Times Better to bite the bullet now. We use it when we have to deal with a painful or unpleasant situation. Ill just have to bite the bullet and take his class. 1, 2, 3, 4 Want to see more videos from Idioms.Online? Getting your car repaired is often an expensive business, but all you can do is bite the bullet and pay up. Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. Definition of to bite the bullet in the Idioms Dictionary. Idioms in the News 1,000 Phrases, Real Examples. Examples: 1. Currently working as a dual credit technical writing instructor at a Career and Technical Education Center, her curriculum development surrounds student focus on effective communication for future career choices. She works with our Production Coordinators to keep content moving and make sure that things are working well behind the scenes for all our digital sites. Sentence Examples The rational alternative is more attractive to most people, but you reject this alternative and bite the bullet, along with the others. keep your friends close and your enemies closer, to endure a painful experience that you cannot avoid, to make yourself endure something unpleasant or painful, to be brave and face a difficult situation, to avoid showing fear or discomfort in an unpleasant situation. To bite the bullet means to make oneself to do something undesirable, unpleasant, or unavoidable. The most well known is that before there were anesthetics and soldiers had to endure painful procedures during the war, they would bite a bullet to distract them from the pain and keep them from biting their tongue or screaming. With degrees in science, English, and literacy, she has worked to create cross-curricular materials to bridge learning gaps and help students focus on effective writing and speech techniques. Lets do an exercise to better remember the Idiom. Learn more Idioms with American Teachers here in POLY! On a wing and a prayer. bite the bullet (Idiom, English) 27 translations (Belarusian, Bulgarian, Chinese, Danish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Persian, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish.) Behave bravely or stoically when facing pain or a difficult situation, as in. Certainly this was the meaning in Rudyard Kiplings. Morgan is the Senior Production Editor at Trusted Media Brands. We set ourselves to bite the hand that feeds us. Idioms in the News 1,000 Phrases, Real Examples, The Dictionary of Cliches: a Word Lovers Guide to 4,000 Overused Phrases and Almost-Pleasing Platitudes, English Idioms: 22 Idioms For Happiness or Being Happy. Please complete this Application for Employment, I-539, Application To Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 18818 Teller Ave, Suite 160, Irvine, CA 92612, 5757 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 510, Los Angeles, CA 90036, Poly Languages Institute Celebrates Independence Day 2023, The Power of Technology in English Language Learning: Perfecting Proficiency at Poly Languages Institute, The Road to Language Proficiency: Dos and Donts. A soldier who, as the term is, sings out at the halberts. All idioms have been editorially reviewed, and submitted idioms may have been edited for correctness and completeness. bullet phrase. The first known accounts of the term used in a literal sense were immortalized in Samuel Butlers poem Hudibras concerning the English Civil War in 1642-1651, in which he describes the poisoning of the enemy due to bacterial infection when the soldiers chewed the bullets in advance of firing them: Their case-shot savour strong of poison / And doubtless have been chewd with teeth / Of some that had a stinking breath., It is again mentioned as chewing a bullet during the Revolutionary War when whipped as punishment or to help stave off thirst. A hundred or so retailers should bite. It comes from stories of long ago when a wounded soldier was told to bite a bullet before undergoing surgery without anesthesia to deal with the pain. To bite the bullet means to face difficulty head-on and with courage. Using teeth to help load a musket was common, possibly leading to the phrases origins. To bite the bullet means to make oneself to do something undesirable, unpleasant, or unavoidable. Certainly this was the meaning in Rudyard Kiplings. If you find a certain pro that you really communicate well with, bite the bullet and ask if she is willing to give you lessons. To face a painful situation bravely and stoically. (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=38cf8a01-c7b4-4a61-a61b-8c0be6528f20&cid=877050e7-52c9-4c33-a20b-d8301a08f96d'; cnxps.cmd.push(function () { cnxps({ playerId: "38cf8a01-c7b4-4a61-a61b-8c0be6528f20" }).render("6ea159e3e44940909b49c98e320201e2"); }); The first known time this phrase was used as an idiom was in1891. For other uses, see Bite the bullet (disambiguation). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Grammarist is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. In the days before anesthesia, a wounded soldier about to undergo surgery was given a bullet to clamp in his teeth and bear down on so he wouldn't bite off his tongue from the pain. If someone bites the bullet, they accept that they have to do something unpleasant but necessary. Dating from the 1700s, this idiom is said to be of military origin. 'Bite on the bullet, old man, and don't let them think you're afraid.'" face up to doing something difficult or unpleasant; stoically avoid showing fear or distress. Another theory stems from the Indian Rebellion of 1857. I am happy I fought and won. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. What does "BITE THE BULLET" idiom mean? Bullets are made of lead, a soft metal, and biting the bulletwas a distraction designed to stop a patient from crying out. In other words, it means that a person should accept the coming hardships and face or endure resulting issues and problems with courage and boldness. For example, around the holidays you might find yourself saying, I really dont like having the in-laws over for more than a few days, but Ill just have to bite the bullet. Read up on these everyday phrases with surprisingly dark origins. This terminology is probably much older than cowboy pop culture made famous in television series and romanticized novels. Jim bit the bullet and accepted what he knew had to be. IDIOMS DETECTED. Synonyms: grasp the nettle More Synonyms of to bite the bullet Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences! Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary, the webmaster's page for free fun content, Playing the audition game. Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. I'm not sure that I can use it when I was supposed to clean the house but I haven't done until down to the wire. to force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult, or to be brave in a difficult situation I hate going to the dentist, but I'll just have to bite the bullet. To bite the bullet means to decide to do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating over, according to Google. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/bite+the+bullet. The phrase "chew a bullet" is close enough to convince some scholars to consider it an iteration of "bite the bullet." Another interesting theory comes from the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and the practice of biting off the paper cartridge used for rifles. I want to receive exclusive email updates from YourDictionary. - Do you have feedback or suggestions on how we can improve? Want to see more videos from Idioms.Online? YouTube uses cookies to track views of embedded videos. The figurative term may actually refer to how early guns worked. Learn to speak English fluently with Poly Languages. I know she's disappointed to have not gotten her dream job, but the sooner she bites the bullet and accepts it, the sooner she can move on. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. 8Ammer, Christine. Gunpowder and a ball were previously loaded into paper cartridges. Im afraid Ive bad news for you. Now that you know where the phrase bite the bullet comes from, here are the origins of other commonly used idioms. prendre le taureau par les cornes {vb} [idiom] more_vert. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Despite the popularity of the wounded biting the bullet hypothesis, the term is much older than the cowboy genre of the 1800s. George Eliot. This may or may not be true - but the idiom has lasted. A working knowledge of frequently used idioms is essential in order to naturally communicate with Americans. Before the discovery of anaesthesia, when soldiers were wounded in battle and had to be treated or undergo surgery, they were made to bite on something hard to keep them from screaming out in pain. Bite the bullet may have had its fair share of overuse through the last centurys habit of painting the Wild West as something to be romanticized, but it has an interesting beginning. She hates math, but she forced herself and took the required math classes in order to graduate. Jim bit the bullet and accepted what he knew had to be. In the heat of battle, the soldier would rip open the tip of the paper cartridge with his teeth and pour the gunpowder and ball into his gun. (2002 Auditions Guide). For example, someone might say that a cancer patient has bitten the bullet and endured a painful course of treatment, or that a soldier has bitten the bullet and faced danger and adversity in combat. To face a painful situation bravely and stoically. [journalism] Tour operators may be forced to bite the bullet and cut prices. Today, it is used to describe facing hardship. Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary. - Did we make a mistake? You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. Webster's New World adds "[It] has a meaning that differs from the literal meaning of its parts taken together." In fact, the biting the bullet theory and assumptions likely led to the cliche described above since widespread use of the practice has been hard to nail down. to bite the bullet. No matter whether biting the bullet originates from loading a gun using your teeth or as a means to help bear the pain of something. At some point, youre going to have to bite the bullet and stop spending all your money on luxuries, said Susans mom.