take the bull by the horns
English
Pronunciation
Audio (AU): (file)
Verb
- (idiomatic) To deal with a matter in a direct manner, especially to confront a difficulty rather than avoid it.
- 1828 May, Sir Walter Scott, The Journal of Sir Walter Scott:
- Wordsworth has a system which disposes him to take the bull by the horns and offend public taste.
- 1912, Arthur Quiller-Couch, chapter 4, in Hocken and Hunken:
- "Then why couldn' ye take the bull by the horns an' march in by the front door?"
- 1920, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter 4, in The Coming of Bill:
- [H]e was ready to take the bull by the horns and pay for his meal himself.
- 1950 Dec. 4, "The Nation: Between Friends," Time:
- In Korea General MacArthur took the bull by the horns and threw seven divisions into an all-out drive to clear North Korea.
- 2002 May 16, Selena Roberts, "Tennis: Healthy Morariu Expects to Return to Court," New York Times (retrieved 2 Aug 2011):
- "Should I tell her? Should I send someone else?" he said yesterday. "I took the bull by the horns. I gave her the diagnosis. It was the most difficult time of my life."
- 1828 May, Sir Walter Scott, The Journal of Sir Walter Scott:
Translations
to deal directly with a matter; to confront a difficulty
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