- Meaning
- This idiom describes accepting hardship, criticism, or defeat bravely and without complaint, as if taking a punch to the chin in a fight. It conveys resilience or stoicism, often used in personal, professional, or competitive contexts to praise enduring adversity. The phrase carries a tone of toughness, dignity, or grit, reflecting cultural values of fortitude and the human tendency to face setbacks with courage. Its boxing imagery evokes a physical blow, resonating in scenarios like professional failures or personal rejections. The idiom celebrates perseverance, making it a rugged metaphor for handling life’s knocks.
- Origin
- The phrase originated in early 20th-century Britain, tied to boxing slang, where taking a punch ‘on the chin’ symbolized enduring a hit without collapsing. Its earliest recorded use appears in *The Times* (1910), describing a boxer who ‘took it on the chin.’ The idiom gained traction during the World Wars, when stoicism was valorized, as seen in Winston Churchill’s speeches. Its spread was amplified by sports journalism and 1940s films like *The Harder They Fall* (1947). Its adoption across English-speaking cultures, especially in the U.K., U.S., and Australia, stems from its vivid imagery and universal appeal to resilience.
- Variants
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- Take it on the jaw
- Took it on the chin
- Taking it on the chin
- Examples
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- She took it on the chin when her proposal was rejected, moving on gracefully.
- Taking it on the chin, he accepted the harsh feedback without arguing.
- He took it on the jaw, losing the match but shaking hands with dignity.
- Take it on the chin, they said, after the company’s stock plummeted.
- Took it on the chin, she didn’t let the breakup slow her down.
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