To confront a difficult problem or challenge directly and with confidence.
Examples:
- Just take the bull by the horns — you have to face her one day, why not tomorrow?
- Rather than waiting for the crisis to worsen, the CEO took the bull by the horns and called an emergency press conference.
Origin: Believed to originate in Spanish bullfighting as an instruction for handling a tethered bull safely.
Synonyms: face it head on, tackle directly, bite the bullet