What it means
Means you stop putting off something rough, awkward, or painful and just get it done. You use it when there’s no nice way round it and all that’s left is to brace yourself and crack on, whether that’s the dentist, a grim bill, or a chat you’ve been dodging.
Usage examples
"I’ve been putting off the dentist for months, but I’ll bite the bullet tomorrow, get it sorted, then treat myself to a curry."
"I hate the dentist but the tooth was killing me, so I bit the bullet and booked in."
"I kept dodging the breakup chat for a week, then bit the bullet and rang her on my lunch break."
"Right, I’m gonna bite the bullet and sort my tax return tonight before it turns into a full horror film."
"I’ve been dodging my overdraft all week, but fine, I’ll bite the bullet and check the app before it gives me emotional damage."
Where it comes from
The phrase is commonly traced to 19th century military medicine, with the old tale that a patient would clamp a bullet between their teeth during surgery before anaesthetic was around. Whether that happened exactly like people picture it gets debated, but the image stuck and became shorthand for bracing yourself and just getting through the nasty bit.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
Magical Silence Tailor Official watcher of this expression
Tell me, what have you got for me?