grasp the nettle

English

Etymology

From the short-term skin irritation caused by the stinging nettle.

Pronunciation

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Verb

grasp the nettle

1. (idiomatic) To act boldly, especially when there are short-term adverse consequences.
   • 1886, "London's Recent Rioting," New York Times, 22 Feb., p. 5 (retrieved 18 Aug. 2010):

     Hence it was that a few dozen policemen, resolutely grasping the nettle, had no difficulty in handling it.

   • 1951, "From Today's Times," Ottawa Citizen (Canada), 30 April, p. 2 (retrieved 18 Aug. 2010):

     President Truman, when at last he grasped the nettle and dismissed MacArthur, knew well enough the outcry that would follow.

   • 2007, "Brown's Britain: taking the nuclear option," telegraph.co.uk, 24 May (retrieved 18 Aug. 2010):

     That Tony Blair should wait until the dying days of his premiership before grasping the nettle of nuclear expansion has proved dangerously neglectful.

Related terms

• nettlesome