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Glite Dictionary
to grasp the nettle

to grasp the nettle

1 8.2
Face a difficult problem directly and act firmly
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : afrontar la situación
  • I have found the sting a highly variable quality, which is why there is disagreement about the meaning of the old adage: Grasp the nettle.

So he then says, I've never been afraid to grasp the nettle.

Examples

  • A rhetorical method would grasp the nettle and acknowledge the ethical and political interests with which arguments are constructed.

    Academic text (1991)

  • The second is to grasp the nettle and dig in for the long haul.

    Academic text (2010)

  • We have to grasp the nettle.

    Made in Dagenham (2010)

  • But the authors cannot fully grasp the nettle of the solution.

    Blog text (21)

  • In any case, I believe that whoever first advised grasping the nettle meant something like what we mean when we say bite the bullet.

    Academic text (1992)

  • But we still haven't grasped the nettle of complete collapse.

    Blog text (9)

  • Your hand will burn even if you just graze the leaves, but if you grasp the nettle and face the pain head-on, you will get rid of a weed and get something for dinner.

    Academic text (1992)

  • It is as though, having grasped the nettle required to face the reality that oil production is peaking, they then hesitate to look at the abyss that higher decline rates are going to bring.

    Blog text (11)

  • She decided to grasp the nettle and address the team's performance issues head-on.

  • It's time to grasp the nettle and make the necessary changes in our policy.

Synonyms

to tackle
vsto grasp the nettle
204 3.4

To try to deal with a difficult problem or task

focuses more on confronting an unpleasant situation directly with determination
to take the bull by the horns
vsto grasp the nettle
  • Informal
4 5.6

To deal with a difficult problem directly and bravely

focuses more on steady determination toward an unpleasant task rather than boldness
to grab the bull by the horns
vsto grasp the nettle
  • Informal
1 6.3

Face a difficult problem directly and bravely

emphasizes determined action against difficulty over sheer courage
to fly at something head-on
vsto grasp the nettle
7.0

To face a problem directly and try to solve it

leans more toward steady resolve when handling unpleasant situations
to take the challenge head-on
vsto grasp the nettle
  • Informal
3.9

To face a difficult problem directly and work hard to solve it

is broader applying to confronting any unpleasant situation with resolve

Antonyms

to avoid
∞ 1.0

To stay away from something or not do it to stop something bad from happening

to evade
52 4.4

To get away from someone or something by being clever and tricky

How Determined

to grasp the nettle
  • Informal
1 8.2
to face up
  • Informal
38 4.1
to deal
∞ 1.6

Surface Forms

grasp the nettle infinitive
grasped the nettle past
grasped the nettle past participle
grasping the nettle present participle
grasps the nettle third person singular

Morphology

grasp + the + nettle

The literal meanings 'grasp' (take hold) and 'nettle' (a stinging plant) produce a vivid image of taking hold of something unpleasant, so the idea of directly confronting an unpleasant/difficult matter is partly inferable. However, the figurative, conventionalized sense ('face a difficulty with determination') is metaphorical and not fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure, so it is best classified as semi-transparent.

Etymology

Grasp the nettle comes from the image of taking hold of a stinging plant, a nettle, quickly and firmly with your hand, a grasp, so you feel the pain once and can get on with the job. So, it came to mean 'to face a hard or unpleasant task directly and with determination'.