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 (third-person singular simple present grasps the nettle, present participle grasping the nettle, simple past and past participle grasped the nettle)

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

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

   • 1951 April 30, “From Today's Times”, in Ottawa Citizen, Canada, retrieved 18 Aug. 2010, page 2:

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

   • 1993 September, “Seeking an identity”, in Guildford Gazette, number 3, page 8:

     For a number of years a group of brethren of the Craig Yr Hesg Lodge, meeting in Pontypridd, had discussed the possibility of forming a new Lodge. This year they decided to grasp the nettle.

   • 2007 May 24, “Brown's Britain: taking the nuclear option”, in telegraph.co.uk, 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.

   • 2020 May 6, Stefanie Foster, “Comment: One chance for a new order”, in Rail, page 3:

     We must be bold. We must grasp the nettle and make the most of this opportunity.

Related terms

• nettlesome