strap on a pair

present singular third person straps on a pair · participle present strapping on a pair · participle past strapped on a pair · past strapped on a pair

1. UScolloquialidiomaticvulgarTo be brave; to show some courage, especially in a situation where one has so far failed to do so.

   The moral of the story is strap on a pair and be a man.

   2002 July 17, "Parenting Forum," cleveland.com (Cleveland Plain Dealer) (retrieved 29 Oct 2008)

   1 more example

   Somebody clearly needed to "strap on a pair" and say what needed to be said. Forget the flowery words and sensitivity training.

   2003 February 1, “The power of words”, in Automotive Industries, retrieved 29 Oct 2008

   Synonyms: get a pair, grow a pair, man up, ruck up