steel onself for
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb phrase: To mentally or emotionally prepare oneself to face or endure something difficult, challenging, or unpleasant.
Usage
This phrase is used to describe the conscious act of strengthening one's resolve, courage, or emotional fortitude in anticipation of a difficult event or piece of information. It implies a deliberate effort to become resilient.
Examples
- She had to steel herself for the difficult conversation with her boss.
- He steeled himself for the long and painful recovery after the surgery.
- Before opening the letter, she took a deep breath to steel herself for bad news.
- The team steeled themselves for the intense competition ahead.
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often implies an internal, private preparation. The effort to "steel oneself" is usually not visible to others.
- It is frequently followed by nouns or noun phrases indicating the source of hardship (e.g., ).
- It can be used in both past and present tenses to describe preparation before an event.
Variants and Related Words
- Steel (verb): The core verb meaning to mentally harden or strengthen. Often used reflexively () or with an object ().
- He steeled his nerves before entering the room.
- Brace oneself for: A very close synonym with a similar meaning of preparing for impact or shock.
- Brace yourself for some turbulence.
Synonyms
- Brace oneself for
- Prepare oneself for
- Gird oneself for (more formal/literary)
- Fortify oneself against
- Harden one's heart to
Related Idioms
- Grit one's teeth: To endure something painful or difficult by clenching one's teeth, often used in a more physical or immediate context of enduring pain.
- He gritted his teeth and continued running.
- Bite the bullet: To decide to do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been avoiding.
- It's time to bite the bullet and tell him the truth.
Verb
- prepare mentally or emotionally for something unpleasant