🛡 Bear the Brunt: Taking on Hardships Like a Knight in Shining Armor ⚔️
Definition
Bear the brunt means to endure the worst part of any hardship, violence, or misfortune.
Origin & Background
Dating back to the early fifteenth century, when “brunt” signified the main force of an enemy’s assault, the phrase initially described the experience of the front ranks of an army facing the fiercest attacks. Legendary poets like John Lydgate spun its use in their chronicling works; for instance, in Chronicle of Troy (1430), and Robert Browning sang it again in “Prospice” (1864):
“fare like my peers,
The heroes of old,
Bear the brunt . . .
of pain, darkness and cold.”
Similar Terms & Synonyms
- Endure adversity
- Face the music
- Weather the storm
- Stand up to the challenge
- Take it on the chin
Antonyms
- Avoid the worst
- Sidestep difficulties
- Dodge the bullet
- Skirt the issue
Fun Quotes & Proverbs
- Quote: “Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don’t have the strength.” – Theodore Roosevelt
- Proverb: “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” – African Proverb
Literature and Media References
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Books:
- Endurance by Alfred Lansing: Discover the literal brunt of survival in Antarctica.
- Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl: Reflect on enduring unimaginable hardship.
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Movies:
- Braveheart: Bear the brute brunt like William Wallace.
- Mad Max: Fury Road: Take the full impact of a dystopian world gone mad.
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Poetry:
- “If—” by Rudyard Kipling, where bearing the brunt of adversity becomes a cornerstone of maturity.
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Songs:
- Eye of the Tiger by Survivor: Pump up those resilience muscles.
- Heroes by David Bowie: For the heroic heart that bears it all.
Farewell Thought
Enduring hardships, violence, or misfortune may shake our spirits, but through history, language, and the resilience of humanity, we learn to bear the brunt and come out stronger. Facing life’s trials head-on isn’t just the path of chivalric knights; it’s our shared story in the pages of humanity.
Keep bearing bravely,
Sir Verbal Ace
Published on: 2023-10-01
