5 Bite the bullet 咬住子彈

A person who ‘bites the bullet’, without any sign of fear, acts with great courage in the face of adversity. The phrase recollects a dangerous army practice in the 1850s. Soldiers were then equipped with the British Enfield rifle. Prior to using it, they had to bite off the head of the cartridge to expose the explosive to the spark which would ignite it. The procedure was fraught with danger, particularly so in the heat of battle. It needed firmness and courage, as even the slightest deviation or hesitation would endanger the soldier.

一個“咬住子彈”的人，在逆境中表現得毫無畏懼和勇敢。這詞組回顧了發生在1850年的一次軍隊的危險做法。士兵們全都裝備上了英國Enfield步槍。在使用它之前，士兵們不得不咬掉槍彈頭，使爆炸性物質暴露在火花下，使其點燃。這個過程充滿著危險，特別是在戰爭的氣氛中。這需要沉著和勇氣，因為即使是輕微的偏差或猶豫都會危及士兵的生命。