Here's a breakdown of the history:
* 19th-century medicine: Before the advent of modern anesthesia, surgery was a brutal and painful experience. To manage the excruciating pain, surgeons would often have patients bite down on a bullet or other hard object.
* Distraction and pain management: The act of biting down on a bullet would distract the patient from the pain of the surgery and also help to tighten the jaw muscles, which could potentially reduce bleeding.
* Origin of the idiom: The phrase "bite the bullet" first appeared in print in the late 19th century, used to describe the act of facing a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage and determination.
The idiom's meaning today:
The idiom "to bite the bullet" is used figuratively to describe the act of facing a difficult or unpleasant task with courage and determination. It signifies a willingness to endure hardship and pain in order to achieve a goal.
For example:
* "I knew I had to bite the bullet and tell my boss I was quitting, even though it was difficult."
* "After months of procrastination, I finally bit the bullet and started writing my thesis."
While the practice of biting on a bullet during surgery is thankfully a thing of the past, the idiom continues to be used today to describe the act of facing challenges head-on.