to fall on a grenade
- idiom
- /fɔl ɑn ə grəˈneɪd/
:
sacrificarse
- He didn't hesitate to fall on a grenade so his colleagues wouldn't get in trouble.
Examples
-
He decided to fall on a grenade for his friends.
-
Sometimes a leader must fall on a grenade to protect the rest of the group from criticism.
-
Sarah decided to fall on a grenade by volunteering for the toughest assignment.
-
Why did she fall on a grenade for him?
-
In a moment of bravery, he chose to fall on a grenade to protect his comrades during the battle.
-
The soldier knew he had to fall on a grenade to save the lives of his teammates, putting their safety before his own.
-
During the intense fight, the hero did not hesitate to fall on a grenade, ensuring the survival of his fellow troops.
Synonyms
394
3.4
Give up something important to help someone or reach a goal
37
3.9
To give up something important to help other people or reach a long-term goal
7
8.3
Act like you suffer or give up things for others to get sympathy
4
8.4
To accept blame or quit a job to protect other people
1
9.9
To take a big risk to help another person or group
How Self-Sacrificing
11
4.9
- Informal
15
6.4
37
3.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase evokes a literal, imageable action — falling onto a grenade to protect others — so a learner who knows 'fall', 'on' and 'grenade' can infer a self-sacrificial act. This concrete physical image maps directly onto the figurative sense of accepting risk or blame for others, making the meaning accessible to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Fall on a grenade comes from soldiers in war who would fall onto a grenade, covering it with their body to stop the blast and save others. So, it now means 'to take a serious risk or blame to protect other people'.