The expression "bite the bullet" refers to:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The expression "bite the bullet" historically refers to the practice of having a patient bite down on a bullet during surgery without anesthesia, to help them endure the pain. This encompasses the ideas of enduring pain or discomfort without showing one's feelings (A), the actual act of biting down on something hard as a means to cope with the absence of anesthesia during surgery (B), and the belief that biting on a bullet could help manage pain through distraction or other mechanisms (C). Thus, all the provided explanations contribute to the meaning and origin of the phrase.

The Expression "Bite the Bullet" Refers To