English Explanatory Dictionary

grasp the nettle

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To act boldly, especially when there are short-term adverse consequences.

Pronunciation

en-au-grasp the nettle.ogg

Word forms

grasp the nettle grasps the nettle grasping the nettle grasped the nettle

Etymology

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

Related words

take the bull by the horns

Previous

Next

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.

Back to search All on G Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary