take one's medicine
The phrase "take one's medicine" comes from the idea that, like medicine, some experiences are unpleasant but necessary for improvement.
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Definition
B2General
(informal, idiomatic)To accept a deserved punishment or consequence without protest.
Example
- After breaking the window, he knew he had to take his medicine and face the consequences.
B2General
(informal, idiomatic)To endure an unpleasant but necessary experience.
Example
- Despite hating injections, she knew she had to take her medicine to get better.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "take one's medicine":
take the curetake one's lumpstake withtake itbitter pill to swallowpill to swallowtake fortake on the chinoff one's medstake something totake one's time