take a bullet
To purposely receive a gunshot that was intended for another.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He would take a bullet for his best friend.”
“The bodyguard was prepared to take a bullet to protect the leader during the parade.”
“In a final act of profound loyalty, the soldier chose to take a bullet for his comrade, sacrificing his own life to ensure the other man survived.”
- 01
be taken ill
To become ill.
- 02
bite the bullet
To accept a negative aspect of a situation in order to proceed.
- 03
cross to take up
Alternative form of cross to bear.
- 04
dodge a bullet
To have a narrow escape; to avoid injury, disaster, or some other undesirable situation.
- 05
forget to take one's medication this morning
To be annoyed or irritable, or to behave in an ill-mannered way, particularly in the morning.
- 06
get taken in
To be fooled; to fall for.
- 07
get the bullet
To be fired from one's employment.
- 08
give and take
A process of compromise or accommodation.
Last updated August 10, 2026