2007-02-20 22:17:49 · 6 answers · asked by dflp 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
'Bite the Bullet' means to force oneself to perform a painful, difficult task or to endure an unpleasant situation. E.g., We'll just have to bite the bullet and pay higher taxes
2007-02-20 22:21:16 · answer #1 · answered by Tiger Tracks 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It means:
Endure pain with fortitude.
Origin
In the days before effective anaesthetics soldiers were given bullets to bite on to help them endure pain. Improvements in battlefield medicine has seen the real act of biting bullets migrated into metaphor.
First recorded in print in Kipling's Light that Failed, 1891.
...'Going to sleep by you. Lie down now; you'll be better in the morning.'
'I shan't!' The voice rose to a wail. 'My God! I'm blind! I'm blind, and the darkness will never go away.' He made as if to leap from the bed, but Torpenhow's arms were round him, and Torpenhow's chin was on his shoulder, and his breath was squeezed out of him. He could only gasp, 'Blind!' and wriggle feebly.
'Steady, Dickie, steady!' said the deep voice in his ear, and the grip tightened. 'Bite on the bullet, old man, and don't let them think you're afraid,'
2007-02-21 00:10:25 · answer #2 · answered by Danny99 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a metaphor. Before anaesthetics soldiers were given bullets to bite, to cope with pain. The phrase is now used as a way of saying "I can handle it".
2007-02-20 22:32:43 · answer #3 · answered by missdre 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Take what comes and keep on going.
2007-02-21 00:52:09 · answer #4 · answered by caroline j 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have to face the music.
2007-02-20 23:41:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anthony F 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
ohhhhhh.. i just thought it ment basically to suck it up.
2007-02-20 22:27:32 · answer #6 · answered by superman2_00_6 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋