{"id":101,"date":"2021-10-09T21:43:57","date_gmt":"2021-10-09T21:43:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=101"},"modified":"2021-10-12T19:15:30","modified_gmt":"2021-10-12T19:15:30","slug":"suck-it-up-buttercup-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/suck-it-up-buttercup-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Suck It Up, Buttercup! - Meaning, Usage and Origin"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever heard anyone say, \u201csuck it up, buttercup!\u201d? Or have you ever used it yourself? If so, then you are probably already aware that it is a common, popular <em>idiom<\/em>. That doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that you\u2019re using it correctly or understanding its meaning entirely, though.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s look at precisely what this phrase means and the proper ways of using it in your everyday life. We\u2019ll also examine its origins (they might surprise and even disgust you) and common misuses of this phrase.<\/p>\n<h2>\u201cSuck It Up, Buttercup\u201d Meaning<\/h2>\n<p>First, let\u2019s establish a solid definition of this idiom. According to Macmillan Dictionary, \u201csuck it up\u201d means accepting an unpleasant or uncomfortable situation. Similar terms that could be used interchangeably are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Get over it<\/li>\n<li>Deal with it<\/li>\n<li>Get it together<\/li>\n<li>Get your head in the game<\/li>\n<li>Toughen up<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The moniker \u201cbuttercup\u201d is tacked onto the end of this phrase for two reasons. Mainly, it\u2019s because it rhymes with \u201csuck it up.\u201d It\u2019s a fun way to round out the phrase, and it\u2019s entertaining for the speaker and anyone listening, if not the person on the receiving end.<\/p>\n<p>For some people, though, this name implies weakness or even femininity. Buttercup is a type of flower, and flowers are often associated with those qualities. Incidentally (or perhaps not), buttercups are poisonous to humans and most mammals.<\/p>\n<h2>Examples of How to Use It<\/h2>\n<p>There are lots of situations in which \u201csuck it up, buttercup\u201d can be used. These are just a few real-life examples; there are many more.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re a fitness instructor or trainer, \u201csuck it up, buttercup\u201d might be a helpful phrase, indeed. If your class attendees or trainees complain about the exercises you task them with; you can reply, \u201csuck it up, buttercup, it\u2019s for your own good!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also sometimes useful in a more professional setting. Gently encouraging people to \u201csuck it up, buttercup\u201d can motivate salespeople, independent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3odY-4NRavo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">business owners<\/a>, and others who need a little bit of tough love.<\/p>\n<p>Parents and other caregivers can use it lovingly with their children and charges as well. Kids tend to whine about things. Using gentle sarcasm can let them know when their complaints are valid rather than when they\u2019re lazy or burdensome without good reason.<\/p>\n<h2>Where Did this Phrase Come From?<\/h2>\n<p>This phrase isn\u2019t new. It made its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.urbandictionary.com\/define.php?term=suck%20it%20up%20buttercup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">appearance<\/a> in the Urban Dictionary in 2004.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSuck it up\u201d is even older. That phrase became common during World War II when pilots had to literally \u201csuck it up\u201d if they vomited into their oxygen masks. If not, they risked suffocating on the acidic fumes or choking on the vomit in their lungs.<\/p>\n<p>Once again, \u201cbuttercup\u201d got added mainly because it rhymes and because it adds a bit of sarcasm or irony to the phrase and perhaps a bit of an insult to certain people.<\/p>\n<h2>Make Sure You Say It Right!<\/h2>\n<p>Idioms are fun, but you\u2019ll look like a bit of an \u201cidiot\u201d if you don\u2019t use them correctly. Luckily with this one, it\u2019s pretty straightforward and hard to use improperly. Anytime you want to roll your eyes and tell someone to get over it, \u201csuck it up, buttercup\u201d will likely work.<\/p>\n<p>A parting word of caution: some people may be offended by your use of this phrase. Be sure to use tact and care before saying it to a person in a position of authority or who is very sensitive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p class=\"mb-2\">Have you ever heard anyone say, \u201csuck it up, buttercup!\u201d? Or have you ever used it yourself? If so, then you are probably already aware that it is a common, popular idiom. That doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that you\u2019re using it correctly or understanding its meaning entirely, though. Let\u2019s look at precisely what this phrase means [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=101"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":118,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101\/revisions\/118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}