grit (your) teeth

1. to decide to deal with an unpleasant or difficult situation.

You may as well grit your teeth and accept that air travel is going to get worse before it gets better.

2. to deal with something in a determined way.

When a test came along, I just gritted my teeth and studied harder because I knew I had to improve my grades.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of grit your teeth (= to press your teeth tightly together)

• a quid pro quo
• a race against the clock
• a race against time
• a race against time clock
• a rainy day fund
• a rake-off
• a rap across the knuckles
• a rap on the knuckles
• a rap over the knuckles
• a rap sheet
• a rat fink
• a rat race
• a raw deal
• a ray of sunshine
• are all over
• a red cent
• a red eye
• a red herring
• a red-letter day
• a reign of terror
• a Renaissance man
• a rent boy
• are someone all over
• are something all over
• a revolving door