bite the bullet

Cultural  

1. To adjust to unpleasant circumstances: “The severe drought is forcing everybody to bite the bullet and use less water.” Before anesthesia, people undergoing surgery would bite on a bullet to help them withstand the pain.

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bite the bullet Idioms  

1. Behave bravely or stoically when facing pain or a difficult situation, as in If they want to cut the budget deficit, they are going to have to bite the bullet and find new sources of revenue. This phrase is of military origin, but the precise allusion is uncertain. Some say it referred to the treatment of a wounded soldier without anesthesia, so that he would be asked to bite on a lead bullet during treatment. Also, Francis Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1796) holds that grenadiers being disciplined with the cat-o'nine-tails would bite on a bullet to avoid crying out in pain.

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Example Sentences

"Sometimes you've just got to bite the bullet and play the guy if you think he's the best."

From BBC

"The emotion side is quite difficult, and then trying to manage that around work...do I bite the bullet and explain what's happening? Or keep having sick days and holidays?" she says.

From BBC

Although many importers are canceling orders or sending goods back to China before they’re unloaded, others are electing to bite the bullet and pay to bring their orders ashore because they don’t want to strain their hard-won relationships with huge national retailers by not giving them the goods they promised or trying to raise their wholesale prices, Reume said.

From Los Angeles Times

“But with a strong enough discount, people may bite the bullet and get one.”

From Los Angeles Times

He says he had been "putting theatre off for a really long time" but decided to bite the bullet as he wanted to push himself - and push himself he did as it's no easy feat to stand on an almost empty stage for 90 minutes and perform a monologue.

From BBC