Synonyms for Took the bull by the horns:

• v.

  •buckle down (verb)
  • concentrate on,
  • knuckle down,
  • get serious,
  • exert oneself,
  • take the bull by the horns,
  • set to,
  • give,
  • give oneself over to,
  • launch into,
  • keep one's mind on,
  • put one's nose to the grindstone,
  • occupy oneself with,
  • bend,
  • turn,
  • pitch in,
  • put one's hand to the plow,
  • devote oneself to,
  • throw,
  • keep close to,
  • dedicate oneself to,
  • address,
  • attend to,
  • apply oneself,
  • swing into action,
  • plunge into.
  •cross the Rubicon (verb)
  • take the plunge,
  • jump in with both feet,
  • prendre la balle au bond,
  • leave a crossroads,
  • pass the rubicon,
  • take for better or worse,
  • make one's move,
  • choose one's fate,
  • leap into the breach,
  • bite the bullet.
  •face (verb)
  • brave,
  • beard,
  • defy,
  • brace,
  • resist,
  • cross,
  • square off,
  • bit the bullet,
  • allow,
  • confront,
  • stand,
  • contend,
  • go up against,
  • sustain,
  • fight,
  • endure,
  • encounter,
  • court,
  • make a stand,
  • risk,
  • dare,
  • tolerate,
  • brook,
  • grapple with,
  • be confronted by,
  • accost,
  • submit,
  • run into,
  • take on,
  • challenge,
  • take,
  • oppose,
  • eyeball,
  • take it,
  • withstand,
  • suffer,
  • meet,
  • affront,
  • swallow,
  • experience,
  • cope with,
  • stomach,
  • bear,
  • venture,
  • deal with,
  • abide,
  • countenance,
  • tell off,
  • fly in face of.
  •run the gauntlet (verb)
  • be a whipping boy,
  • be a target,
  • go in harm's way,
  • meet head-on,
  • take potshots,
  • go through fire and water,
  • face criticism,
  • face one's punishment,
  • take one's life in one's hands,
  • march up to the cannon's mouth,
  • court disaster,
  • come to grips with.

Antonyms for Took the bull by the horns:

• v.

  • buckle down
    relax, be lazy, ignore.
  • face
    disallow, avoid, withdraw, keep, hold, help, give in, reject, run, support, surrender, shun, evade, refuse, leave, halt, veto, yield, disapprove, back, dodge, resist, discontinue, assist, give up, stop, retreat, hide, aid.