A word or phrase that implies “a struggle or hardship is about to begin”?












11














Looking for a word or phrase that embodies the feeling of "the struggle is about to begin". Can be a borrowed/loan word or phrase from another language (latin, french, etc). It should have the feeling of something is about to happen, something unpleasant that will be taxing on the individual.



Thanks in advance!










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  • 3




    A bad omen, a portent, etc. A thesaurus can help starting from those words.
    – Dan Bron
    yesterday






  • 3




    I would suggest "Monday".
    – Hot Licks
    yesterday






  • 4




    foreboding : "1. fearful apprehension; a feeling that something bad will happen." - portent : "1. a sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen."
    – Mazura
    yesterday






  • 3




    Hi Peabody2, welcome to EL&U. You might not be aware that there are strict rules for single-word-requests: "To ensure your question is not closed as off-topic, please be specific about the intended use of the word. You must include a sample sentence demonstrating how the word would be used." You can add this using the edit link. For further guidance, see How to Ask, and make sure you also take the EL&U Tour :-)
    – Chappo
    yesterday






  • 5




    "Winter is coming." ;-)
    – T.J. Crowder
    16 hours ago


















11














Looking for a word or phrase that embodies the feeling of "the struggle is about to begin". Can be a borrowed/loan word or phrase from another language (latin, french, etc). It should have the feeling of something is about to happen, something unpleasant that will be taxing on the individual.



Thanks in advance!










share|improve this question







New contributor




peabody2 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 3




    A bad omen, a portent, etc. A thesaurus can help starting from those words.
    – Dan Bron
    yesterday






  • 3




    I would suggest "Monday".
    – Hot Licks
    yesterday






  • 4




    foreboding : "1. fearful apprehension; a feeling that something bad will happen." - portent : "1. a sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen."
    – Mazura
    yesterday






  • 3




    Hi Peabody2, welcome to EL&U. You might not be aware that there are strict rules for single-word-requests: "To ensure your question is not closed as off-topic, please be specific about the intended use of the word. You must include a sample sentence demonstrating how the word would be used." You can add this using the edit link. For further guidance, see How to Ask, and make sure you also take the EL&U Tour :-)
    – Chappo
    yesterday






  • 5




    "Winter is coming." ;-)
    – T.J. Crowder
    16 hours ago
















11












11








11







Looking for a word or phrase that embodies the feeling of "the struggle is about to begin". Can be a borrowed/loan word or phrase from another language (latin, french, etc). It should have the feeling of something is about to happen, something unpleasant that will be taxing on the individual.



Thanks in advance!










share|improve this question







New contributor




peabody2 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











Looking for a word or phrase that embodies the feeling of "the struggle is about to begin". Can be a borrowed/loan word or phrase from another language (latin, french, etc). It should have the feeling of something is about to happen, something unpleasant that will be taxing on the individual.



Thanks in advance!







single-word-requests word-choice phrases phrase-requests loan-words






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asked yesterday









peabody2

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585




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  • 3




    A bad omen, a portent, etc. A thesaurus can help starting from those words.
    – Dan Bron
    yesterday






  • 3




    I would suggest "Monday".
    – Hot Licks
    yesterday






  • 4




    foreboding : "1. fearful apprehension; a feeling that something bad will happen." - portent : "1. a sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen."
    – Mazura
    yesterday






  • 3




    Hi Peabody2, welcome to EL&U. You might not be aware that there are strict rules for single-word-requests: "To ensure your question is not closed as off-topic, please be specific about the intended use of the word. You must include a sample sentence demonstrating how the word would be used." You can add this using the edit link. For further guidance, see How to Ask, and make sure you also take the EL&U Tour :-)
    – Chappo
    yesterday






  • 5




    "Winter is coming." ;-)
    – T.J. Crowder
    16 hours ago
















  • 3




    A bad omen, a portent, etc. A thesaurus can help starting from those words.
    – Dan Bron
    yesterday






  • 3




    I would suggest "Monday".
    – Hot Licks
    yesterday






  • 4




    foreboding : "1. fearful apprehension; a feeling that something bad will happen." - portent : "1. a sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen."
    – Mazura
    yesterday






  • 3




    Hi Peabody2, welcome to EL&U. You might not be aware that there are strict rules for single-word-requests: "To ensure your question is not closed as off-topic, please be specific about the intended use of the word. You must include a sample sentence demonstrating how the word would be used." You can add this using the edit link. For further guidance, see How to Ask, and make sure you also take the EL&U Tour :-)
    – Chappo
    yesterday






  • 5




    "Winter is coming." ;-)
    – T.J. Crowder
    16 hours ago










3




3




A bad omen, a portent, etc. A thesaurus can help starting from those words.
– Dan Bron
yesterday




A bad omen, a portent, etc. A thesaurus can help starting from those words.
– Dan Bron
yesterday




3




3




I would suggest "Monday".
– Hot Licks
yesterday




I would suggest "Monday".
– Hot Licks
yesterday




4




4




foreboding : "1. fearful apprehension; a feeling that something bad will happen." - portent : "1. a sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen."
– Mazura
yesterday




foreboding : "1. fearful apprehension; a feeling that something bad will happen." - portent : "1. a sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen."
– Mazura
yesterday




3




3




Hi Peabody2, welcome to EL&U. You might not be aware that there are strict rules for single-word-requests: "To ensure your question is not closed as off-topic, please be specific about the intended use of the word. You must include a sample sentence demonstrating how the word would be used." You can add this using the edit link. For further guidance, see How to Ask, and make sure you also take the EL&U Tour :-)
– Chappo
yesterday




Hi Peabody2, welcome to EL&U. You might not be aware that there are strict rules for single-word-requests: "To ensure your question is not closed as off-topic, please be specific about the intended use of the word. You must include a sample sentence demonstrating how the word would be used." You can add this using the edit link. For further guidance, see How to Ask, and make sure you also take the EL&U Tour :-)
– Chappo
yesterday




5




5




"Winter is coming." ;-)
– T.J. Crowder
16 hours ago






"Winter is coming." ;-)
– T.J. Crowder
16 hours ago












16 Answers
16






active

oldest

votes


















5














A few idiomatic examples:




  • The die is cast.

  • Caesar has crossed the Rubicon.

  • Hannibal has crossed the Alps.


The first two idioms refer to the same event. From Wikipedia:




With this step, he entered Italy at the head of his army in defiance
of the Senate and began his long civil war against Pompey and the
Optimates. The phrase, either in the original Latin or in translation,
is used in many languages to indicate that events have passed a point
of no return. It is now most commonly cited with the word order
changed ("Alea iacta est") rather than in the original phrasing. The
same event inspired another idiom with the same meaning, "Crossing the
Rubicon".




More colloquially, you could say the shit has hit the fan.






share|improve this answer





















  • "the die is cast" is perfect for what I am looking for! thank you!
    – peabody2
    3 hours ago



















24















Fasten your seat belts



In the most famous line from the 1950 movie All About Eve, the character Margo Channing (played by Bette Davis) said




Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bump-y night!




"Night" is often replaced by the more sensible "ride".



As anyone who has been in a plane has experienced, a "Fasten Seat Belts" sign comes on when the pilot has to make a difficult maneuver, or if the plane goes through turbulence.



So most people will understand that some sort of turmoil is expected if you say "Fasten your seatbelts". But it's often used jocularly, as if the difficulty is trivial or survivable.






share|improve this answer



















  • 8




    Also, Buckle up
    – BruceWayne
    yesterday



















17














"A storm is coming," or "a storm is brewing" is common and well-understood.






share|improve this answer





















  • Also, The s#*t is about to hit the fan
    – Canis Lupus
    5 hours ago





















8














Steel yourself.



This phrase has very much the same kind of feeling as brace yourself, albeit perhaps slightly more literary, and not with the same sense of immediacy that brace necessarily infers. Steel yourself is a warning to prepare your spirit for some kind of hardship to come. (It can, of course, also be used ironically when the difficulty is only slight.)



Collins gives the following definition:




verb



to prepare (oneself) for coping with something unpleasant



I was steeling myself to call round when Simon arrived.





Synonyms of steel yourself



brace yourself



He braced himself for the icy plunge into the black water.



grit your teeth



fortify yourself



harden yourself




Oxford Living Dictionaries defines steel as follows:




verb [with object]



Mentally prepare (oneself) to do or face something difficult.



‘his team were steeling themselves for disappointment’



with infinitive ‘she steeled herself to remain calm’




The sense is, of course, to harden yourself and make yourself like steel. The Online Dictionary of Etymology attests to the verb steel being used to mean make hard or strong like steel in the 1580s. (It could be used with a fair amount of thematic consistency along with the word mettle, if you're that way minded.)



Shakespeare used the verb steel in this sense on more than one occasion.



In Henry VI Part II, he gives the following lines to Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, in a pep-talk soliloquy. Plantagenet (or York) is plucking up his courage for the task at hand - putting down a revolt in Ireland in the name of the King and, then, usurpation of the English throne for himself:




Now, York, or never, steel thy fearful thoughts,



And change misdoubt to resolution:



Be that thou hopest to be, or what thou art



Resign to death; it is not worth the enjoying:



Let pale-faced fear keep with the mean-born man,



And find no harbour in a royal heart.1







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  • I particularly like the verb you used in this, ;-)
    – Jesse Steele
    19 hours ago



















7














Gird your loins. Vocabulary.com says:




"Gird your loins and prepare for battle!" Okay, no one says "gird your
loins" anymore (which basically means "tighten your pants"), but gird
is still used as a verb to mean "get ready for a dangerous situation."



To gird is to prepare for a military attack, but more loosely it
refers to readying oneself for any kind of confrontation. When you
gird for something, you are preparing for the worst-case scenario.
Gird can also mean "fasten something tightly with a belt or a band"
(as in "gird your loins"), or it can mean "to surround or encircle." A
field that is girded by trees is surrounded and encircled by trees.




The source is overly dismissive of gird your loins, although it is true that it is rarely said now except semi-humorously, as in:




One hour 'til the physics final. All we can do now is gird our loins
and pray there is no surprise.




The loins are the area of the sexual organs, and girding one's loins means to put protection around that area before going into battle.






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    4














    If you use the allusion:




    Winter is coming




    ...most will understand what you mean.






    share|improve this answer



















    • 2




      Nice idea. The general problem is with being unoriginal because it is borrowed from contemporary literature, not something old enough to have become standard, yet. It would be amazing in conversation or a speech perhaps, but it should not be used in original, contenporary literature.
      – Jesse Steele
      19 hours ago






    • 5




      I have a bad feeling about this.
      – Theraot
      18 hours ago





















    3














    Time to put on your brown trousers.



    A fictional anecdote: two armies meet on either side of a revolutionary battle ground displaying colors and wielding muskets. Generals and assistants ride to the middle of the battleground on horseback to discuss terms of battle: agreement, surrender, or fight! After a long negotiation both generals in their disappointment have declare it's time to fight.



    The first general looks at his assistant and says "captain, prepare for battle and bring my red blazer".



    Overhearing this order, the second general asks "Sir, respectfully, why the red blazer".



    In response the first general explains "very well my most worthy opponent, when one of our officers has been wounded in battle we prefer to hide the wound in order to preserve moral. The color of the blazer will help to lessen the visibility of blood."



    In turn, the second general says "Understood general...", after which he turns to his captain and orders: "Captain, prepare for battle and bring my brown trousers."






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    • 1




      Hi Jeffrey, welcome to EL&U. This isn't a bad start, but it's too short: the system has flagged it as "low-quality because of its length and content." An answer on EL&U is expected to be authoritative, detailed, and explain why it is correct. Can I suggest you edit your answer to provide more information - e.g., add a published definition of the expression (linked to the source) and perhaps an explanation? For further guidance, see How to Answer and take the EL&U Tour :-)
      – Chappo
      yesterday










    • This is a classic boy scout skit.
      – Peter Turner
      8 hours ago



















    2














    "ominous signs of tough times" comes to mind. Or, simply, "tough times ahead".






    • ominous -1. menacing, threatening: ominous black clouds; ominous rumblings of discontent. 2. Of or being an omen, especially an evil one.




    From the web:



    1 - "It would require a significant change in their strategy to prepare for the tough times ahead."



    2 - The ominous signs of growing tensions were everywhere. In Asia, Emperor Hirohito's armies had invaded the Chinese mainland.



    Politicians often say it in times of crisis: "Yet there are still tough times ahead, and tough decisions to be made. I have reluctantly concluded that a constitutional amendment, demanding we focus our efforts on balancing the budget, is the only sure way to make us accountable, and ..."






    share|improve this answer























    • Similarly, it augurs badly.
      – tmgr
      yesterday





















    2














    Beware the ides of March



    Shakespearean quote - it was a truthsayers warning to Julius Caesar that bad things were heading his way. It is a bit elitist to use, but when it fits, it fits.






    share|improve this answer





























      2














      The calm before the storm.



      from The Free Dictionary:




      A period of inactivity or tranquility before something chaotic begins.




      You mentioned that something is about to happen, so if your scenario would do well to emphasize that the current circumstance is calm then this could work well.






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        1














        Hold on to your britches



        I'm not sure if you're interested in colloquialisms, however, "hold on to your britches" is typically a Southern United States expression used to indicate a sudden change of conditions. Typically it's used in driving (as in suddenly hitting the gas pedal), however, I have definitely heard it used at other times.



        On a personal note, I tend to use "Hold on to your bobby-socks" which is a much much older variant (before even my time.)






        share|improve this answer





























          1














          The one I heard while growing up was "Katie... bar the door!"






          share|improve this answer








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          • This would probably be better suited to the comments. If you are going to post an answer, please make sure it is fully fleshed out and has backed up/cited sources,
            – Lordology
            7 hours ago



















          0














          "...a prelude to..."



          This borrows on figurative language, one common being very similar:




          a prelude to war







          share|improve this answer





























            0














            "a sense of impending doom".



            It can also be used in an ironic or hyperbolic sense, where the 'doom' you see coming is actually a fairly minor struggle.




            I felt a sense of impending doom as the first drops of rain landed
            lightly on the bride's veil.




            This is a fairly well known and well understood set phrase in English.



            It is also the name of a medical symptom which, as you might expect, is a type of anxiety where one just feels for no apparent reason as if something terrible is about to happen.






            share|improve this answer





























              0














              If the context is that you're going to actively join a struggle, then "into the fray" is appropriate.






              share|improve this answer





























                0














                I could feel a sense of dread at the prospect, and though we laughed naively, the true weight of our actions would not be felt...perhaps too late.



                Really, one word is nice, I.e foreboding, but consider the setting and use that to your advantage.






                share|improve this answer








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                  Your Answer








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                  16 Answers
                  16






                  active

                  oldest

                  votes








                  16 Answers
                  16






                  active

                  oldest

                  votes









                  active

                  oldest

                  votes






                  active

                  oldest

                  votes









                  5














                  A few idiomatic examples:




                  • The die is cast.

                  • Caesar has crossed the Rubicon.

                  • Hannibal has crossed the Alps.


                  The first two idioms refer to the same event. From Wikipedia:




                  With this step, he entered Italy at the head of his army in defiance
                  of the Senate and began his long civil war against Pompey and the
                  Optimates. The phrase, either in the original Latin or in translation,
                  is used in many languages to indicate that events have passed a point
                  of no return. It is now most commonly cited with the word order
                  changed ("Alea iacta est") rather than in the original phrasing. The
                  same event inspired another idiom with the same meaning, "Crossing the
                  Rubicon".




                  More colloquially, you could say the shit has hit the fan.






                  share|improve this answer





















                  • "the die is cast" is perfect for what I am looking for! thank you!
                    – peabody2
                    3 hours ago
















                  5














                  A few idiomatic examples:




                  • The die is cast.

                  • Caesar has crossed the Rubicon.

                  • Hannibal has crossed the Alps.


                  The first two idioms refer to the same event. From Wikipedia:




                  With this step, he entered Italy at the head of his army in defiance
                  of the Senate and began his long civil war against Pompey and the
                  Optimates. The phrase, either in the original Latin or in translation,
                  is used in many languages to indicate that events have passed a point
                  of no return. It is now most commonly cited with the word order
                  changed ("Alea iacta est") rather than in the original phrasing. The
                  same event inspired another idiom with the same meaning, "Crossing the
                  Rubicon".




                  More colloquially, you could say the shit has hit the fan.






                  share|improve this answer





















                  • "the die is cast" is perfect for what I am looking for! thank you!
                    – peabody2
                    3 hours ago














                  5












                  5








                  5






                  A few idiomatic examples:




                  • The die is cast.

                  • Caesar has crossed the Rubicon.

                  • Hannibal has crossed the Alps.


                  The first two idioms refer to the same event. From Wikipedia:




                  With this step, he entered Italy at the head of his army in defiance
                  of the Senate and began his long civil war against Pompey and the
                  Optimates. The phrase, either in the original Latin or in translation,
                  is used in many languages to indicate that events have passed a point
                  of no return. It is now most commonly cited with the word order
                  changed ("Alea iacta est") rather than in the original phrasing. The
                  same event inspired another idiom with the same meaning, "Crossing the
                  Rubicon".




                  More colloquially, you could say the shit has hit the fan.






                  share|improve this answer












                  A few idiomatic examples:




                  • The die is cast.

                  • Caesar has crossed the Rubicon.

                  • Hannibal has crossed the Alps.


                  The first two idioms refer to the same event. From Wikipedia:




                  With this step, he entered Italy at the head of his army in defiance
                  of the Senate and began his long civil war against Pompey and the
                  Optimates. The phrase, either in the original Latin or in translation,
                  is used in many languages to indicate that events have passed a point
                  of no return. It is now most commonly cited with the word order
                  changed ("Alea iacta est") rather than in the original phrasing. The
                  same event inspired another idiom with the same meaning, "Crossing the
                  Rubicon".




                  More colloquially, you could say the shit has hit the fan.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered yesterday









                  trw

                  23817




                  23817












                  • "the die is cast" is perfect for what I am looking for! thank you!
                    – peabody2
                    3 hours ago


















                  • "the die is cast" is perfect for what I am looking for! thank you!
                    – peabody2
                    3 hours ago
















                  "the die is cast" is perfect for what I am looking for! thank you!
                  – peabody2
                  3 hours ago




                  "the die is cast" is perfect for what I am looking for! thank you!
                  – peabody2
                  3 hours ago













                  24















                  Fasten your seat belts



                  In the most famous line from the 1950 movie All About Eve, the character Margo Channing (played by Bette Davis) said




                  Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bump-y night!




                  "Night" is often replaced by the more sensible "ride".



                  As anyone who has been in a plane has experienced, a "Fasten Seat Belts" sign comes on when the pilot has to make a difficult maneuver, or if the plane goes through turbulence.



                  So most people will understand that some sort of turmoil is expected if you say "Fasten your seatbelts". But it's often used jocularly, as if the difficulty is trivial or survivable.






                  share|improve this answer



















                  • 8




                    Also, Buckle up
                    – BruceWayne
                    yesterday
















                  24















                  Fasten your seat belts



                  In the most famous line from the 1950 movie All About Eve, the character Margo Channing (played by Bette Davis) said




                  Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bump-y night!




                  "Night" is often replaced by the more sensible "ride".



                  As anyone who has been in a plane has experienced, a "Fasten Seat Belts" sign comes on when the pilot has to make a difficult maneuver, or if the plane goes through turbulence.



                  So most people will understand that some sort of turmoil is expected if you say "Fasten your seatbelts". But it's often used jocularly, as if the difficulty is trivial or survivable.






                  share|improve this answer



















                  • 8




                    Also, Buckle up
                    – BruceWayne
                    yesterday














                  24












                  24








                  24







                  Fasten your seat belts



                  In the most famous line from the 1950 movie All About Eve, the character Margo Channing (played by Bette Davis) said




                  Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bump-y night!




                  "Night" is often replaced by the more sensible "ride".



                  As anyone who has been in a plane has experienced, a "Fasten Seat Belts" sign comes on when the pilot has to make a difficult maneuver, or if the plane goes through turbulence.



                  So most people will understand that some sort of turmoil is expected if you say "Fasten your seatbelts". But it's often used jocularly, as if the difficulty is trivial or survivable.






                  share|improve this answer















                  Fasten your seat belts



                  In the most famous line from the 1950 movie All About Eve, the character Margo Channing (played by Bette Davis) said




                  Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bump-y night!




                  "Night" is often replaced by the more sensible "ride".



                  As anyone who has been in a plane has experienced, a "Fasten Seat Belts" sign comes on when the pilot has to make a difficult maneuver, or if the plane goes through turbulence.



                  So most people will understand that some sort of turmoil is expected if you say "Fasten your seatbelts". But it's often used jocularly, as if the difficulty is trivial or survivable.







                  share|improve this answer














                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer








                  edited yesterday

























                  answered yesterday









                  Spencer

                  3,9891126




                  3,9891126








                  • 8




                    Also, Buckle up
                    – BruceWayne
                    yesterday














                  • 8




                    Also, Buckle up
                    – BruceWayne
                    yesterday








                  8




                  8




                  Also, Buckle up
                  – BruceWayne
                  yesterday




                  Also, Buckle up
                  – BruceWayne
                  yesterday











                  17














                  "A storm is coming," or "a storm is brewing" is common and well-understood.






                  share|improve this answer





















                  • Also, The s#*t is about to hit the fan
                    – Canis Lupus
                    5 hours ago


















                  17














                  "A storm is coming," or "a storm is brewing" is common and well-understood.






                  share|improve this answer





















                  • Also, The s#*t is about to hit the fan
                    – Canis Lupus
                    5 hours ago
















                  17












                  17








                  17






                  "A storm is coming," or "a storm is brewing" is common and well-understood.






                  share|improve this answer












                  "A storm is coming," or "a storm is brewing" is common and well-understood.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered yesterday









                  Solocutor

                  5381311




                  5381311












                  • Also, The s#*t is about to hit the fan
                    – Canis Lupus
                    5 hours ago




















                  • Also, The s#*t is about to hit the fan
                    – Canis Lupus
                    5 hours ago


















                  Also, The s#*t is about to hit the fan
                  – Canis Lupus
                  5 hours ago






                  Also, The s#*t is about to hit the fan
                  – Canis Lupus
                  5 hours ago













                  8














                  Steel yourself.



                  This phrase has very much the same kind of feeling as brace yourself, albeit perhaps slightly more literary, and not with the same sense of immediacy that brace necessarily infers. Steel yourself is a warning to prepare your spirit for some kind of hardship to come. (It can, of course, also be used ironically when the difficulty is only slight.)



                  Collins gives the following definition:




                  verb



                  to prepare (oneself) for coping with something unpleasant



                  I was steeling myself to call round when Simon arrived.





                  Synonyms of steel yourself



                  brace yourself



                  He braced himself for the icy plunge into the black water.



                  grit your teeth



                  fortify yourself



                  harden yourself




                  Oxford Living Dictionaries defines steel as follows:




                  verb [with object]



                  Mentally prepare (oneself) to do or face something difficult.



                  ‘his team were steeling themselves for disappointment’



                  with infinitive ‘she steeled herself to remain calm’




                  The sense is, of course, to harden yourself and make yourself like steel. The Online Dictionary of Etymology attests to the verb steel being used to mean make hard or strong like steel in the 1580s. (It could be used with a fair amount of thematic consistency along with the word mettle, if you're that way minded.)



                  Shakespeare used the verb steel in this sense on more than one occasion.



                  In Henry VI Part II, he gives the following lines to Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, in a pep-talk soliloquy. Plantagenet (or York) is plucking up his courage for the task at hand - putting down a revolt in Ireland in the name of the King and, then, usurpation of the English throne for himself:




                  Now, York, or never, steel thy fearful thoughts,



                  And change misdoubt to resolution:



                  Be that thou hopest to be, or what thou art



                  Resign to death; it is not worth the enjoying:



                  Let pale-faced fear keep with the mean-born man,



                  And find no harbour in a royal heart.1







                  share|improve this answer























                  • I particularly like the verb you used in this, ;-)
                    – Jesse Steele
                    19 hours ago
















                  8














                  Steel yourself.



                  This phrase has very much the same kind of feeling as brace yourself, albeit perhaps slightly more literary, and not with the same sense of immediacy that brace necessarily infers. Steel yourself is a warning to prepare your spirit for some kind of hardship to come. (It can, of course, also be used ironically when the difficulty is only slight.)



                  Collins gives the following definition:




                  verb



                  to prepare (oneself) for coping with something unpleasant



                  I was steeling myself to call round when Simon arrived.





                  Synonyms of steel yourself



                  brace yourself



                  He braced himself for the icy plunge into the black water.



                  grit your teeth



                  fortify yourself



                  harden yourself




                  Oxford Living Dictionaries defines steel as follows:




                  verb [with object]



                  Mentally prepare (oneself) to do or face something difficult.



                  ‘his team were steeling themselves for disappointment’



                  with infinitive ‘she steeled herself to remain calm’




                  The sense is, of course, to harden yourself and make yourself like steel. The Online Dictionary of Etymology attests to the verb steel being used to mean make hard or strong like steel in the 1580s. (It could be used with a fair amount of thematic consistency along with the word mettle, if you're that way minded.)



                  Shakespeare used the verb steel in this sense on more than one occasion.



                  In Henry VI Part II, he gives the following lines to Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, in a pep-talk soliloquy. Plantagenet (or York) is plucking up his courage for the task at hand - putting down a revolt in Ireland in the name of the King and, then, usurpation of the English throne for himself:




                  Now, York, or never, steel thy fearful thoughts,



                  And change misdoubt to resolution:



                  Be that thou hopest to be, or what thou art



                  Resign to death; it is not worth the enjoying:



                  Let pale-faced fear keep with the mean-born man,



                  And find no harbour in a royal heart.1







                  share|improve this answer























                  • I particularly like the verb you used in this, ;-)
                    – Jesse Steele
                    19 hours ago














                  8












                  8








                  8






                  Steel yourself.



                  This phrase has very much the same kind of feeling as brace yourself, albeit perhaps slightly more literary, and not with the same sense of immediacy that brace necessarily infers. Steel yourself is a warning to prepare your spirit for some kind of hardship to come. (It can, of course, also be used ironically when the difficulty is only slight.)



                  Collins gives the following definition:




                  verb



                  to prepare (oneself) for coping with something unpleasant



                  I was steeling myself to call round when Simon arrived.





                  Synonyms of steel yourself



                  brace yourself



                  He braced himself for the icy plunge into the black water.



                  grit your teeth



                  fortify yourself



                  harden yourself




                  Oxford Living Dictionaries defines steel as follows:




                  verb [with object]



                  Mentally prepare (oneself) to do or face something difficult.



                  ‘his team were steeling themselves for disappointment’



                  with infinitive ‘she steeled herself to remain calm’




                  The sense is, of course, to harden yourself and make yourself like steel. The Online Dictionary of Etymology attests to the verb steel being used to mean make hard or strong like steel in the 1580s. (It could be used with a fair amount of thematic consistency along with the word mettle, if you're that way minded.)



                  Shakespeare used the verb steel in this sense on more than one occasion.



                  In Henry VI Part II, he gives the following lines to Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, in a pep-talk soliloquy. Plantagenet (or York) is plucking up his courage for the task at hand - putting down a revolt in Ireland in the name of the King and, then, usurpation of the English throne for himself:




                  Now, York, or never, steel thy fearful thoughts,



                  And change misdoubt to resolution:



                  Be that thou hopest to be, or what thou art



                  Resign to death; it is not worth the enjoying:



                  Let pale-faced fear keep with the mean-born man,



                  And find no harbour in a royal heart.1







                  share|improve this answer














                  Steel yourself.



                  This phrase has very much the same kind of feeling as brace yourself, albeit perhaps slightly more literary, and not with the same sense of immediacy that brace necessarily infers. Steel yourself is a warning to prepare your spirit for some kind of hardship to come. (It can, of course, also be used ironically when the difficulty is only slight.)



                  Collins gives the following definition:




                  verb



                  to prepare (oneself) for coping with something unpleasant



                  I was steeling myself to call round when Simon arrived.





                  Synonyms of steel yourself



                  brace yourself



                  He braced himself for the icy plunge into the black water.



                  grit your teeth



                  fortify yourself



                  harden yourself




                  Oxford Living Dictionaries defines steel as follows:




                  verb [with object]



                  Mentally prepare (oneself) to do or face something difficult.



                  ‘his team were steeling themselves for disappointment’



                  with infinitive ‘she steeled herself to remain calm’




                  The sense is, of course, to harden yourself and make yourself like steel. The Online Dictionary of Etymology attests to the verb steel being used to mean make hard or strong like steel in the 1580s. (It could be used with a fair amount of thematic consistency along with the word mettle, if you're that way minded.)



                  Shakespeare used the verb steel in this sense on more than one occasion.



                  In Henry VI Part II, he gives the following lines to Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, in a pep-talk soliloquy. Plantagenet (or York) is plucking up his courage for the task at hand - putting down a revolt in Ireland in the name of the King and, then, usurpation of the English throne for himself:




                  Now, York, or never, steel thy fearful thoughts,



                  And change misdoubt to resolution:



                  Be that thou hopest to be, or what thou art



                  Resign to death; it is not worth the enjoying:



                  Let pale-faced fear keep with the mean-born man,



                  And find no harbour in a royal heart.1








                  share|improve this answer














                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer








                  edited yesterday

























                  answered yesterday









                  tmgr

                  3,12511024




                  3,12511024












                  • I particularly like the verb you used in this, ;-)
                    – Jesse Steele
                    19 hours ago


















                  • I particularly like the verb you used in this, ;-)
                    – Jesse Steele
                    19 hours ago
















                  I particularly like the verb you used in this, ;-)
                  – Jesse Steele
                  19 hours ago




                  I particularly like the verb you used in this, ;-)
                  – Jesse Steele
                  19 hours ago











                  7














                  Gird your loins. Vocabulary.com says:




                  "Gird your loins and prepare for battle!" Okay, no one says "gird your
                  loins" anymore (which basically means "tighten your pants"), but gird
                  is still used as a verb to mean "get ready for a dangerous situation."



                  To gird is to prepare for a military attack, but more loosely it
                  refers to readying oneself for any kind of confrontation. When you
                  gird for something, you are preparing for the worst-case scenario.
                  Gird can also mean "fasten something tightly with a belt or a band"
                  (as in "gird your loins"), or it can mean "to surround or encircle." A
                  field that is girded by trees is surrounded and encircled by trees.




                  The source is overly dismissive of gird your loins, although it is true that it is rarely said now except semi-humorously, as in:




                  One hour 'til the physics final. All we can do now is gird our loins
                  and pray there is no surprise.




                  The loins are the area of the sexual organs, and girding one's loins means to put protection around that area before going into battle.






                  share|improve this answer




























                    7














                    Gird your loins. Vocabulary.com says:




                    "Gird your loins and prepare for battle!" Okay, no one says "gird your
                    loins" anymore (which basically means "tighten your pants"), but gird
                    is still used as a verb to mean "get ready for a dangerous situation."



                    To gird is to prepare for a military attack, but more loosely it
                    refers to readying oneself for any kind of confrontation. When you
                    gird for something, you are preparing for the worst-case scenario.
                    Gird can also mean "fasten something tightly with a belt or a band"
                    (as in "gird your loins"), or it can mean "to surround or encircle." A
                    field that is girded by trees is surrounded and encircled by trees.




                    The source is overly dismissive of gird your loins, although it is true that it is rarely said now except semi-humorously, as in:




                    One hour 'til the physics final. All we can do now is gird our loins
                    and pray there is no surprise.




                    The loins are the area of the sexual organs, and girding one's loins means to put protection around that area before going into battle.






                    share|improve this answer


























                      7












                      7








                      7






                      Gird your loins. Vocabulary.com says:




                      "Gird your loins and prepare for battle!" Okay, no one says "gird your
                      loins" anymore (which basically means "tighten your pants"), but gird
                      is still used as a verb to mean "get ready for a dangerous situation."



                      To gird is to prepare for a military attack, but more loosely it
                      refers to readying oneself for any kind of confrontation. When you
                      gird for something, you are preparing for the worst-case scenario.
                      Gird can also mean "fasten something tightly with a belt or a band"
                      (as in "gird your loins"), or it can mean "to surround or encircle." A
                      field that is girded by trees is surrounded and encircled by trees.




                      The source is overly dismissive of gird your loins, although it is true that it is rarely said now except semi-humorously, as in:




                      One hour 'til the physics final. All we can do now is gird our loins
                      and pray there is no surprise.




                      The loins are the area of the sexual organs, and girding one's loins means to put protection around that area before going into battle.






                      share|improve this answer














                      Gird your loins. Vocabulary.com says:




                      "Gird your loins and prepare for battle!" Okay, no one says "gird your
                      loins" anymore (which basically means "tighten your pants"), but gird
                      is still used as a verb to mean "get ready for a dangerous situation."



                      To gird is to prepare for a military attack, but more loosely it
                      refers to readying oneself for any kind of confrontation. When you
                      gird for something, you are preparing for the worst-case scenario.
                      Gird can also mean "fasten something tightly with a belt or a band"
                      (as in "gird your loins"), or it can mean "to surround or encircle." A
                      field that is girded by trees is surrounded and encircled by trees.




                      The source is overly dismissive of gird your loins, although it is true that it is rarely said now except semi-humorously, as in:




                      One hour 'til the physics final. All we can do now is gird our loins
                      and pray there is no surprise.




                      The loins are the area of the sexual organs, and girding one's loins means to put protection around that area before going into battle.







                      share|improve this answer














                      share|improve this answer



                      share|improve this answer








                      edited yesterday

























                      answered yesterday









                      ab2

                      23.9k95993




                      23.9k95993























                          4














                          If you use the allusion:




                          Winter is coming




                          ...most will understand what you mean.






                          share|improve this answer



















                          • 2




                            Nice idea. The general problem is with being unoriginal because it is borrowed from contemporary literature, not something old enough to have become standard, yet. It would be amazing in conversation or a speech perhaps, but it should not be used in original, contenporary literature.
                            – Jesse Steele
                            19 hours ago






                          • 5




                            I have a bad feeling about this.
                            – Theraot
                            18 hours ago


















                          4














                          If you use the allusion:




                          Winter is coming




                          ...most will understand what you mean.






                          share|improve this answer



















                          • 2




                            Nice idea. The general problem is with being unoriginal because it is borrowed from contemporary literature, not something old enough to have become standard, yet. It would be amazing in conversation or a speech perhaps, but it should not be used in original, contenporary literature.
                            – Jesse Steele
                            19 hours ago






                          • 5




                            I have a bad feeling about this.
                            – Theraot
                            18 hours ago
















                          4












                          4








                          4






                          If you use the allusion:




                          Winter is coming




                          ...most will understand what you mean.






                          share|improve this answer














                          If you use the allusion:




                          Winter is coming




                          ...most will understand what you mean.







                          share|improve this answer














                          share|improve this answer



                          share|improve this answer








                          edited 15 hours ago

























                          answered yesterday









                          Ivan Olshansky

                          229113




                          229113








                          • 2




                            Nice idea. The general problem is with being unoriginal because it is borrowed from contemporary literature, not something old enough to have become standard, yet. It would be amazing in conversation or a speech perhaps, but it should not be used in original, contenporary literature.
                            – Jesse Steele
                            19 hours ago






                          • 5




                            I have a bad feeling about this.
                            – Theraot
                            18 hours ago
















                          • 2




                            Nice idea. The general problem is with being unoriginal because it is borrowed from contemporary literature, not something old enough to have become standard, yet. It would be amazing in conversation or a speech perhaps, but it should not be used in original, contenporary literature.
                            – Jesse Steele
                            19 hours ago






                          • 5




                            I have a bad feeling about this.
                            – Theraot
                            18 hours ago










                          2




                          2




                          Nice idea. The general problem is with being unoriginal because it is borrowed from contemporary literature, not something old enough to have become standard, yet. It would be amazing in conversation or a speech perhaps, but it should not be used in original, contenporary literature.
                          – Jesse Steele
                          19 hours ago




                          Nice idea. The general problem is with being unoriginal because it is borrowed from contemporary literature, not something old enough to have become standard, yet. It would be amazing in conversation or a speech perhaps, but it should not be used in original, contenporary literature.
                          – Jesse Steele
                          19 hours ago




                          5




                          5




                          I have a bad feeling about this.
                          – Theraot
                          18 hours ago






                          I have a bad feeling about this.
                          – Theraot
                          18 hours ago













                          3














                          Time to put on your brown trousers.



                          A fictional anecdote: two armies meet on either side of a revolutionary battle ground displaying colors and wielding muskets. Generals and assistants ride to the middle of the battleground on horseback to discuss terms of battle: agreement, surrender, or fight! After a long negotiation both generals in their disappointment have declare it's time to fight.



                          The first general looks at his assistant and says "captain, prepare for battle and bring my red blazer".



                          Overhearing this order, the second general asks "Sir, respectfully, why the red blazer".



                          In response the first general explains "very well my most worthy opponent, when one of our officers has been wounded in battle we prefer to hide the wound in order to preserve moral. The color of the blazer will help to lessen the visibility of blood."



                          In turn, the second general says "Understood general...", after which he turns to his captain and orders: "Captain, prepare for battle and bring my brown trousers."






                          share|improve this answer










                          New contributor




                          Jeffrey Knowles is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.














                          • 1




                            Hi Jeffrey, welcome to EL&U. This isn't a bad start, but it's too short: the system has flagged it as "low-quality because of its length and content." An answer on EL&U is expected to be authoritative, detailed, and explain why it is correct. Can I suggest you edit your answer to provide more information - e.g., add a published definition of the expression (linked to the source) and perhaps an explanation? For further guidance, see How to Answer and take the EL&U Tour :-)
                            – Chappo
                            yesterday










                          • This is a classic boy scout skit.
                            – Peter Turner
                            8 hours ago
















                          3














                          Time to put on your brown trousers.



                          A fictional anecdote: two armies meet on either side of a revolutionary battle ground displaying colors and wielding muskets. Generals and assistants ride to the middle of the battleground on horseback to discuss terms of battle: agreement, surrender, or fight! After a long negotiation both generals in their disappointment have declare it's time to fight.



                          The first general looks at his assistant and says "captain, prepare for battle and bring my red blazer".



                          Overhearing this order, the second general asks "Sir, respectfully, why the red blazer".



                          In response the first general explains "very well my most worthy opponent, when one of our officers has been wounded in battle we prefer to hide the wound in order to preserve moral. The color of the blazer will help to lessen the visibility of blood."



                          In turn, the second general says "Understood general...", after which he turns to his captain and orders: "Captain, prepare for battle and bring my brown trousers."






                          share|improve this answer










                          New contributor




                          Jeffrey Knowles is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.














                          • 1




                            Hi Jeffrey, welcome to EL&U. This isn't a bad start, but it's too short: the system has flagged it as "low-quality because of its length and content." An answer on EL&U is expected to be authoritative, detailed, and explain why it is correct. Can I suggest you edit your answer to provide more information - e.g., add a published definition of the expression (linked to the source) and perhaps an explanation? For further guidance, see How to Answer and take the EL&U Tour :-)
                            – Chappo
                            yesterday










                          • This is a classic boy scout skit.
                            – Peter Turner
                            8 hours ago














                          3












                          3








                          3






                          Time to put on your brown trousers.



                          A fictional anecdote: two armies meet on either side of a revolutionary battle ground displaying colors and wielding muskets. Generals and assistants ride to the middle of the battleground on horseback to discuss terms of battle: agreement, surrender, or fight! After a long negotiation both generals in their disappointment have declare it's time to fight.



                          The first general looks at his assistant and says "captain, prepare for battle and bring my red blazer".



                          Overhearing this order, the second general asks "Sir, respectfully, why the red blazer".



                          In response the first general explains "very well my most worthy opponent, when one of our officers has been wounded in battle we prefer to hide the wound in order to preserve moral. The color of the blazer will help to lessen the visibility of blood."



                          In turn, the second general says "Understood general...", after which he turns to his captain and orders: "Captain, prepare for battle and bring my brown trousers."






                          share|improve this answer










                          New contributor




                          Jeffrey Knowles is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.









                          Time to put on your brown trousers.



                          A fictional anecdote: two armies meet on either side of a revolutionary battle ground displaying colors and wielding muskets. Generals and assistants ride to the middle of the battleground on horseback to discuss terms of battle: agreement, surrender, or fight! After a long negotiation both generals in their disappointment have declare it's time to fight.



                          The first general looks at his assistant and says "captain, prepare for battle and bring my red blazer".



                          Overhearing this order, the second general asks "Sir, respectfully, why the red blazer".



                          In response the first general explains "very well my most worthy opponent, when one of our officers has been wounded in battle we prefer to hide the wound in order to preserve moral. The color of the blazer will help to lessen the visibility of blood."



                          In turn, the second general says "Understood general...", after which he turns to his captain and orders: "Captain, prepare for battle and bring my brown trousers."







                          share|improve this answer










                          New contributor




                          Jeffrey Knowles is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.









                          share|improve this answer



                          share|improve this answer








                          edited 23 hours ago





















                          New contributor




                          Jeffrey Knowles is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.









                          answered yesterday









                          Jeffrey Knowles

                          312




                          312




                          New contributor




                          Jeffrey Knowles is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.





                          New contributor





                          Jeffrey Knowles is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.






                          Jeffrey Knowles is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.








                          • 1




                            Hi Jeffrey, welcome to EL&U. This isn't a bad start, but it's too short: the system has flagged it as "low-quality because of its length and content." An answer on EL&U is expected to be authoritative, detailed, and explain why it is correct. Can I suggest you edit your answer to provide more information - e.g., add a published definition of the expression (linked to the source) and perhaps an explanation? For further guidance, see How to Answer and take the EL&U Tour :-)
                            – Chappo
                            yesterday










                          • This is a classic boy scout skit.
                            – Peter Turner
                            8 hours ago














                          • 1




                            Hi Jeffrey, welcome to EL&U. This isn't a bad start, but it's too short: the system has flagged it as "low-quality because of its length and content." An answer on EL&U is expected to be authoritative, detailed, and explain why it is correct. Can I suggest you edit your answer to provide more information - e.g., add a published definition of the expression (linked to the source) and perhaps an explanation? For further guidance, see How to Answer and take the EL&U Tour :-)
                            – Chappo
                            yesterday










                          • This is a classic boy scout skit.
                            – Peter Turner
                            8 hours ago








                          1




                          1




                          Hi Jeffrey, welcome to EL&U. This isn't a bad start, but it's too short: the system has flagged it as "low-quality because of its length and content." An answer on EL&U is expected to be authoritative, detailed, and explain why it is correct. Can I suggest you edit your answer to provide more information - e.g., add a published definition of the expression (linked to the source) and perhaps an explanation? For further guidance, see How to Answer and take the EL&U Tour :-)
                          – Chappo
                          yesterday




                          Hi Jeffrey, welcome to EL&U. This isn't a bad start, but it's too short: the system has flagged it as "low-quality because of its length and content." An answer on EL&U is expected to be authoritative, detailed, and explain why it is correct. Can I suggest you edit your answer to provide more information - e.g., add a published definition of the expression (linked to the source) and perhaps an explanation? For further guidance, see How to Answer and take the EL&U Tour :-)
                          – Chappo
                          yesterday












                          This is a classic boy scout skit.
                          – Peter Turner
                          8 hours ago




                          This is a classic boy scout skit.
                          – Peter Turner
                          8 hours ago











                          2














                          "ominous signs of tough times" comes to mind. Or, simply, "tough times ahead".






                          • ominous -1. menacing, threatening: ominous black clouds; ominous rumblings of discontent. 2. Of or being an omen, especially an evil one.




                          From the web:



                          1 - "It would require a significant change in their strategy to prepare for the tough times ahead."



                          2 - The ominous signs of growing tensions were everywhere. In Asia, Emperor Hirohito's armies had invaded the Chinese mainland.



                          Politicians often say it in times of crisis: "Yet there are still tough times ahead, and tough decisions to be made. I have reluctantly concluded that a constitutional amendment, demanding we focus our efforts on balancing the budget, is the only sure way to make us accountable, and ..."






                          share|improve this answer























                          • Similarly, it augurs badly.
                            – tmgr
                            yesterday


















                          2














                          "ominous signs of tough times" comes to mind. Or, simply, "tough times ahead".






                          • ominous -1. menacing, threatening: ominous black clouds; ominous rumblings of discontent. 2. Of or being an omen, especially an evil one.




                          From the web:



                          1 - "It would require a significant change in their strategy to prepare for the tough times ahead."



                          2 - The ominous signs of growing tensions were everywhere. In Asia, Emperor Hirohito's armies had invaded the Chinese mainland.



                          Politicians often say it in times of crisis: "Yet there are still tough times ahead, and tough decisions to be made. I have reluctantly concluded that a constitutional amendment, demanding we focus our efforts on balancing the budget, is the only sure way to make us accountable, and ..."






                          share|improve this answer























                          • Similarly, it augurs badly.
                            – tmgr
                            yesterday
















                          2












                          2








                          2






                          "ominous signs of tough times" comes to mind. Or, simply, "tough times ahead".






                          • ominous -1. menacing, threatening: ominous black clouds; ominous rumblings of discontent. 2. Of or being an omen, especially an evil one.




                          From the web:



                          1 - "It would require a significant change in their strategy to prepare for the tough times ahead."



                          2 - The ominous signs of growing tensions were everywhere. In Asia, Emperor Hirohito's armies had invaded the Chinese mainland.



                          Politicians often say it in times of crisis: "Yet there are still tough times ahead, and tough decisions to be made. I have reluctantly concluded that a constitutional amendment, demanding we focus our efforts on balancing the budget, is the only sure way to make us accountable, and ..."






                          share|improve this answer














                          "ominous signs of tough times" comes to mind. Or, simply, "tough times ahead".






                          • ominous -1. menacing, threatening: ominous black clouds; ominous rumblings of discontent. 2. Of or being an omen, especially an evil one.




                          From the web:



                          1 - "It would require a significant change in their strategy to prepare for the tough times ahead."



                          2 - The ominous signs of growing tensions were everywhere. In Asia, Emperor Hirohito's armies had invaded the Chinese mainland.



                          Politicians often say it in times of crisis: "Yet there are still tough times ahead, and tough decisions to be made. I have reluctantly concluded that a constitutional amendment, demanding we focus our efforts on balancing the budget, is the only sure way to make us accountable, and ..."







                          share|improve this answer














                          share|improve this answer



                          share|improve this answer








                          edited yesterday

























                          answered yesterday









                          Centaurus

                          38.2k28122244




                          38.2k28122244












                          • Similarly, it augurs badly.
                            – tmgr
                            yesterday




















                          • Similarly, it augurs badly.
                            – tmgr
                            yesterday


















                          Similarly, it augurs badly.
                          – tmgr
                          yesterday






                          Similarly, it augurs badly.
                          – tmgr
                          yesterday













                          2














                          Beware the ides of March



                          Shakespearean quote - it was a truthsayers warning to Julius Caesar that bad things were heading his way. It is a bit elitist to use, but when it fits, it fits.






                          share|improve this answer


























                            2














                            Beware the ides of March



                            Shakespearean quote - it was a truthsayers warning to Julius Caesar that bad things were heading his way. It is a bit elitist to use, but when it fits, it fits.






                            share|improve this answer
























                              2












                              2








                              2






                              Beware the ides of March



                              Shakespearean quote - it was a truthsayers warning to Julius Caesar that bad things were heading his way. It is a bit elitist to use, but when it fits, it fits.






                              share|improve this answer












                              Beware the ides of March



                              Shakespearean quote - it was a truthsayers warning to Julius Caesar that bad things were heading his way. It is a bit elitist to use, but when it fits, it fits.







                              share|improve this answer












                              share|improve this answer



                              share|improve this answer










                              answered 17 hours ago









                              Stian Yttervik

                              1684




                              1684























                                  2














                                  The calm before the storm.



                                  from The Free Dictionary:




                                  A period of inactivity or tranquility before something chaotic begins.




                                  You mentioned that something is about to happen, so if your scenario would do well to emphasize that the current circumstance is calm then this could work well.






                                  share|improve this answer










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                                    2














                                    The calm before the storm.



                                    from The Free Dictionary:




                                    A period of inactivity or tranquility before something chaotic begins.




                                    You mentioned that something is about to happen, so if your scenario would do well to emphasize that the current circumstance is calm then this could work well.






                                    share|improve this answer










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                                      2












                                      2








                                      2






                                      The calm before the storm.



                                      from The Free Dictionary:




                                      A period of inactivity or tranquility before something chaotic begins.




                                      You mentioned that something is about to happen, so if your scenario would do well to emphasize that the current circumstance is calm then this could work well.






                                      share|improve this answer










                                      New contributor




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                                      The calm before the storm.



                                      from The Free Dictionary:




                                      A period of inactivity or tranquility before something chaotic begins.




                                      You mentioned that something is about to happen, so if your scenario would do well to emphasize that the current circumstance is calm then this could work well.







                                      share|improve this answer










                                      New contributor




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                                      share|improve this answer



                                      share|improve this answer








                                      edited 6 hours ago









                                      Lordology

                                      51211




                                      51211






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                                      answered 7 hours ago









                                      vancy.pants

                                      212




                                      212




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                                          1














                                          Hold on to your britches



                                          I'm not sure if you're interested in colloquialisms, however, "hold on to your britches" is typically a Southern United States expression used to indicate a sudden change of conditions. Typically it's used in driving (as in suddenly hitting the gas pedal), however, I have definitely heard it used at other times.



                                          On a personal note, I tend to use "Hold on to your bobby-socks" which is a much much older variant (before even my time.)






                                          share|improve this answer


























                                            1














                                            Hold on to your britches



                                            I'm not sure if you're interested in colloquialisms, however, "hold on to your britches" is typically a Southern United States expression used to indicate a sudden change of conditions. Typically it's used in driving (as in suddenly hitting the gas pedal), however, I have definitely heard it used at other times.



                                            On a personal note, I tend to use "Hold on to your bobby-socks" which is a much much older variant (before even my time.)






                                            share|improve this answer
























                                              1












                                              1








                                              1






                                              Hold on to your britches



                                              I'm not sure if you're interested in colloquialisms, however, "hold on to your britches" is typically a Southern United States expression used to indicate a sudden change of conditions. Typically it's used in driving (as in suddenly hitting the gas pedal), however, I have definitely heard it used at other times.



                                              On a personal note, I tend to use "Hold on to your bobby-socks" which is a much much older variant (before even my time.)






                                              share|improve this answer












                                              Hold on to your britches



                                              I'm not sure if you're interested in colloquialisms, however, "hold on to your britches" is typically a Southern United States expression used to indicate a sudden change of conditions. Typically it's used in driving (as in suddenly hitting the gas pedal), however, I have definitely heard it used at other times.



                                              On a personal note, I tend to use "Hold on to your bobby-socks" which is a much much older variant (before even my time.)







                                              share|improve this answer












                                              share|improve this answer



                                              share|improve this answer










                                              answered 8 hours ago









                                              Reginald Blue

                                              1755




                                              1755























                                                  1














                                                  The one I heard while growing up was "Katie... bar the door!"






                                                  share|improve this answer








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                                                  • This would probably be better suited to the comments. If you are going to post an answer, please make sure it is fully fleshed out and has backed up/cited sources,
                                                    – Lordology
                                                    7 hours ago
















                                                  1














                                                  The one I heard while growing up was "Katie... bar the door!"






                                                  share|improve this answer








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                                                  • This would probably be better suited to the comments. If you are going to post an answer, please make sure it is fully fleshed out and has backed up/cited sources,
                                                    – Lordology
                                                    7 hours ago














                                                  1












                                                  1








                                                  1






                                                  The one I heard while growing up was "Katie... bar the door!"






                                                  share|improve this answer








                                                  New contributor




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                                                  The one I heard while growing up was "Katie... bar the door!"







                                                  share|improve this answer








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                                                  share|improve this answer






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                                                  answered 7 hours ago









                                                  Bob

                                                  111




                                                  111




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                                                  • This would probably be better suited to the comments. If you are going to post an answer, please make sure it is fully fleshed out and has backed up/cited sources,
                                                    – Lordology
                                                    7 hours ago


















                                                  • This would probably be better suited to the comments. If you are going to post an answer, please make sure it is fully fleshed out and has backed up/cited sources,
                                                    – Lordology
                                                    7 hours ago
















                                                  This would probably be better suited to the comments. If you are going to post an answer, please make sure it is fully fleshed out and has backed up/cited sources,
                                                  – Lordology
                                                  7 hours ago




                                                  This would probably be better suited to the comments. If you are going to post an answer, please make sure it is fully fleshed out and has backed up/cited sources,
                                                  – Lordology
                                                  7 hours ago











                                                  0














                                                  "...a prelude to..."



                                                  This borrows on figurative language, one common being very similar:




                                                  a prelude to war







                                                  share|improve this answer


























                                                    0














                                                    "...a prelude to..."



                                                    This borrows on figurative language, one common being very similar:




                                                    a prelude to war







                                                    share|improve this answer
























                                                      0












                                                      0








                                                      0






                                                      "...a prelude to..."



                                                      This borrows on figurative language, one common being very similar:




                                                      a prelude to war







                                                      share|improve this answer












                                                      "...a prelude to..."



                                                      This borrows on figurative language, one common being very similar:




                                                      a prelude to war








                                                      share|improve this answer












                                                      share|improve this answer



                                                      share|improve this answer










                                                      answered 19 hours ago









                                                      Jesse Steele

                                                      494214




                                                      494214























                                                          0














                                                          "a sense of impending doom".



                                                          It can also be used in an ironic or hyperbolic sense, where the 'doom' you see coming is actually a fairly minor struggle.




                                                          I felt a sense of impending doom as the first drops of rain landed
                                                          lightly on the bride's veil.




                                                          This is a fairly well known and well understood set phrase in English.



                                                          It is also the name of a medical symptom which, as you might expect, is a type of anxiety where one just feels for no apparent reason as if something terrible is about to happen.






                                                          share|improve this answer


























                                                            0














                                                            "a sense of impending doom".



                                                            It can also be used in an ironic or hyperbolic sense, where the 'doom' you see coming is actually a fairly minor struggle.




                                                            I felt a sense of impending doom as the first drops of rain landed
                                                            lightly on the bride's veil.




                                                            This is a fairly well known and well understood set phrase in English.



                                                            It is also the name of a medical symptom which, as you might expect, is a type of anxiety where one just feels for no apparent reason as if something terrible is about to happen.






                                                            share|improve this answer
























                                                              0












                                                              0








                                                              0






                                                              "a sense of impending doom".



                                                              It can also be used in an ironic or hyperbolic sense, where the 'doom' you see coming is actually a fairly minor struggle.




                                                              I felt a sense of impending doom as the first drops of rain landed
                                                              lightly on the bride's veil.




                                                              This is a fairly well known and well understood set phrase in English.



                                                              It is also the name of a medical symptom which, as you might expect, is a type of anxiety where one just feels for no apparent reason as if something terrible is about to happen.






                                                              share|improve this answer












                                                              "a sense of impending doom".



                                                              It can also be used in an ironic or hyperbolic sense, where the 'doom' you see coming is actually a fairly minor struggle.




                                                              I felt a sense of impending doom as the first drops of rain landed
                                                              lightly on the bride's veil.




                                                              This is a fairly well known and well understood set phrase in English.



                                                              It is also the name of a medical symptom which, as you might expect, is a type of anxiety where one just feels for no apparent reason as if something terrible is about to happen.







                                                              share|improve this answer












                                                              share|improve this answer



                                                              share|improve this answer










                                                              answered 10 hours ago









                                                              Meg

                                                              1914




                                                              1914























                                                                  0














                                                                  If the context is that you're going to actively join a struggle, then "into the fray" is appropriate.






                                                                  share|improve this answer


























                                                                    0














                                                                    If the context is that you're going to actively join a struggle, then "into the fray" is appropriate.






                                                                    share|improve this answer
























                                                                      0












                                                                      0








                                                                      0






                                                                      If the context is that you're going to actively join a struggle, then "into the fray" is appropriate.






                                                                      share|improve this answer












                                                                      If the context is that you're going to actively join a struggle, then "into the fray" is appropriate.







                                                                      share|improve this answer












                                                                      share|improve this answer



                                                                      share|improve this answer










                                                                      answered 10 hours ago









                                                                      CCTO

                                                                      45524




                                                                      45524























                                                                          0














                                                                          I could feel a sense of dread at the prospect, and though we laughed naively, the true weight of our actions would not be felt...perhaps too late.



                                                                          Really, one word is nice, I.e foreboding, but consider the setting and use that to your advantage.






                                                                          share|improve this answer








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                                                                            0














                                                                            I could feel a sense of dread at the prospect, and though we laughed naively, the true weight of our actions would not be felt...perhaps too late.



                                                                            Really, one word is nice, I.e foreboding, but consider the setting and use that to your advantage.






                                                                            share|improve this answer








                                                                            New contributor




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                                                                              0












                                                                              0








                                                                              0






                                                                              I could feel a sense of dread at the prospect, and though we laughed naively, the true weight of our actions would not be felt...perhaps too late.



                                                                              Really, one word is nice, I.e foreboding, but consider the setting and use that to your advantage.






                                                                              share|improve this answer








                                                                              New contributor




                                                                              clifton_h is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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                                                                              I could feel a sense of dread at the prospect, and though we laughed naively, the true weight of our actions would not be felt...perhaps too late.



                                                                              Really, one word is nice, I.e foreboding, but consider the setting and use that to your advantage.







                                                                              share|improve this answer








                                                                              New contributor




                                                                              clifton_h is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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                                                                              share|improve this answer



                                                                              share|improve this answer






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                                                                              answered 6 hours ago









                                                                              clifton_h

                                                                              101




                                                                              101




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