Take the bull by the horns means deal with a difficult problem directly and firmly instead of avoiding it. We took the bull by the horns and discussed the missed payments directly. The picture: instead of running from the bull, you grab its horns, the most dangerous part.
When would you say take the bull by the horns?
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take the bull by the horns and act; took/taken the bull by the horns
- We took the bull by the horns and discussed the missed payments directly.
- Rather than postpone another meeting, Mira took the bull by the horns and called both teams.
- Someone needs to take the bull by the horns and reorganise the shared storage room.
What changed
First versionThey took the bull with the horns and raised the difficult question.
RevisionThey took the bull by the horns and raised the difficult question.
With is the usual word for a tool or a means, so it seems to fit: take the bull with the horns. But you hold the bull by its horns: by the horns, as in take someone by the hand.
Take the initiative means act first, even when nothing is difficult. Take the plunge means finally decide after hesitating for a long time. In a report, say it neutrally: address the problem directly.
Your turn
Complete the idiom: She took the bull ___ the horns and addressed the disagreement.
Show the answer
by — The idiom uses by the horns, as in take someone by the hand. With breaks it.
Describe how someone finally dealt with a problem everyone had been putting off, using take the bull by the horns.
The coordinator took the bull by the horns and asked everyone to agree on a single booking procedure.
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