What does bite the BULLET mean?

Answer 1

In field surgery without anaesthetic they would get the soon-to-be amputee to bite on a bullet as a way of dealing with the pain of having a limb removedwith a rusty saw while conscious. Bite the bullet means putting up with a great deal of pain or grinning and bearing it.

Answer 2

Bullet: If someone is told to chew or bite on the bullet then they are advised to accept their punishment. The Bullet in this instance was a real one. It was a point of honour in some regiments that soldiers never cried out when under the discipline of the cat o'nine tails. In order to remain quiet, they literally chewed a bullet. If they did sing out, then they were termed a "nightingale".
: : An alternative explanation comes from the time of the Indian Mutiny. Cartridges at that time came in two parts, the missile part inserted into the base and held there with grease. This grease was either pork or cow fat. In order to prime the bullet the two parts had to be bitten apart and the base filled with powder before re-inserting the missile. Pigs are untouchable to Hindus and cows are holy animals, not to be desecrated. In consequence the Hindu soldiers fighting for the British were damned when they bit the bullet, whatever the fat used.

Answer 3

Bite the bullet means the same as grin and bear it. It only means that whatever you do in life, you should be ready for the consequences of your actions. Like, if you stuck your finger on a hot iron, you suffer the hurt and burn of it without being a ninny about it. Or if you said something derogatory to a person and he finds out about it, when he comes to confront you, you must face the music, admit to it, and take whatever consequences there are because of what you said.

This started in the old days when someone, let's say, got cut in the hand and they started to suture that person up without an anesthetic, they would give him a bullet to bite on so he can grit his teeth on it while trying to suffer the pain of being stuck with a needle over and over as the stitches are being put in.

Answer 4

good day. whilst working on a wounded guy, he would take transport of the lead from a bullet to chew on - the lead became into gentle, so does not wreck his teeth and additionally the biting would provide up him biting his very own tongue off or swallowing it. specific, in severe soreness adult men would wreck their own teeth or chew via their own tongue! each and every now and then a stick would be used for the comparable reason, yet for a soldier a bullet became into frequently much less stressful to locate. So whn the time got here to bypass via your operation, it became into time to "chew the bullet". presently it ability purely to get on with something gruesome which you have been waiting for yet putting off. Cheers, Steve.

Answer 5

It is an idiom that started when someone was told to bite a bullet when they were having medical attention without anesthesia. It basically means "put on your big girl panties" and deal with it.

Answer 6

Take it as it comes, whatever it may be. Face the situation without a grimace. Take the bull by its horns.

Answer 7

The same as 'Take it on the chin'. basically you can't change a bad situation you've got to deal with it.

Answer 8

Frogspawn's got the right answer.
It generally mean you have to do something you don't want to.

Answer 9

it means to face something hard or something you dont want to do

Answer 10

Suck it up, and take it like a man!