1. Home
2. Idioms
3. take it on the chin

take it on the chin

---

---

take it on the chin

 and take it on the nose 

1. Lit. to stand up to something adverse, such as criticism. (Fig. on taking a direct punch to the head in boxing.) They laid some blunt criticism on him, but he took it on the chin. I knew he could take it on the nose.

2. Fig. to receive the full brunt of something. Why do I have to take it on the chin for something I didn't do? If you did it, you have to learn to take it on the chin.

See also: chin, on, take

take it on the chin

 

1. to be brave and not to complain when bad things happen to you or people criticize you Atkinson took it all on the chin, though some members of his team were very upset by the criticism they received.

2. to have a lot of bad things happen to you or to be criticized a lot The company has been taking it on the chin in recent months, but the future looks much brighter now and their sales are picking up.

See be up to ears in

See also: chin, on, take

take it on the chin

Suffer adversity or defeat, as in Paul really took it on the chin today when he got fired for missing a deadline. This idiom alludes to taking a physical blow on the chin. [First half of 1900s]

See also: chin, on, take

take it on the chin

and take it on the nose

1. tv. to stand up to something adverse, such as criticism. (Chin is more common.) They laid some rude chops on him, but he took it on the chin.

2. tv. to receive the full brunt of something. Why do I have to take it on the nose for something I didn’t do?

See also: chin, on, take

take it on the chin

Slang

To endure punishment, suffering, or defeat.

See also: chin, on, take