What are the origins of the phrase "Grab the bull by the horns"?

Question

It's meant to be brave but is bloody stupid if you ask me!

Answer 1

matadors have tried and failed are they mad, thing is, they get gored trying and its a cruel sport anyway..dont blame the bulls they are provoked...

'grab the bull by the horns' probably was a dairy farmers last words  !! when his comrades couldnt... and he was speared through the bollox! LOL

etc

Answer 2

It means to face and tackle a  difficulty with out shirking (Old English bula). .... It also means to deal with a problem  directly and resolutely....  to push , force , to push ahead , or through forcefully,  take the bull by the horns, to stand up, be a man, and be strong  as a bull, do not let any one bull sh**U.And visa ---vesa......... peace.

Answer 3

Isn't that a Dodge slogan?

I believe they were the first to come up with that saying.

Answer 4

If you are holding a bull by it's horns it can't gore you.

It makes sense to me!

Answer 5

It's a warning about making sure that you are at the right end of the bull.

Answer 6

It certainly wasn't bullfighting.  Anyone involved in that knows better! Whoever it was that came up with that vivid metaphor was describing the concept of "attacking the enemy's strength," "meeting a problem head on" and "going into the cannon's mouth."

Answer 7

Think the original saying may have been, "take the bull by the horns".  Also another one, "on the horns of a dilema".

Bull fighting and running with the bulls - far exceeds the history of Spain and goes right back to Minoan Greece. . .

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Take the Bull by the Horns

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