pill (redirected from a bitter pill to swallow)

bitter pill to swallow

Fig. an unpleasant fact that has to be accepted. (Does not involve pills or swallowing.) It was a bitter pill for her brother to swallow when she married his enemy. We found his deception a bitter pill to swallow.

See also: bitter, swallow

more something than Carter has (liver) pills

Fig. a great deal of something. (Older; refers to a product called Carter's Little Liver Pills.) Why he's got more problems than Carter has pills! Bobby has more marbles than Carter has liver pills!

See also: has, more

on the pill

taking birth control pills. Is it true that Mary is on the pill? She was on the pill, but she isn't now.

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a bitter pill (to swallow)  also bitter medicine

a situation that is unpleasant but must be accepted Losing the championship to a younger player was a bitter pill to swallow. Cuts in salaries are a dose of bitter medicine that may help the company to survive.

See also: bitter

pop pills

to take too many pills (usually in continuous tenses) Soon she was popping pills again in an effort to cope with the increasing pressure of her job.

See also: pop

sugar/sweeten the pill  (British, American & Australian) also sugar-coat the pill (American)

to make something bad seem less unpleasant The government have cut income tax to sweeten the pill of a tough budget.

See also: sugar

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a bitter pill (to swallow)

an unpleasant situation that must be accepted Losing the championship was a bitter pill to swallow for a team that was used to winning every year. Having his fate in the hands of others is a bitter pill for this proud man.

See also: bitter