To endure a difficult or unpleasant situation and do what must be done despite reluctance.
Examples:
- I'm going to bite the bullet and get started on the storeroom upstairs.
- We bit the bullet and invested in new equipment even though the timing was tough.
Origin: First recorded use by Rudyard Kipling; origins range from British colonial history to dental treatment.
Synonyms: face the music, take the plunge, grin and bear it