From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsteel yourselfsteel yourselfPREPAREto prepare yourself to do something that you know will be unpleasant or upsettingsteel yourself to do something He steeled himself not to look away. → steel
Examples from the Corpus
steel yourself• I had to steel myself before I could tell her about the accident.• Jim steeled himself for a fight.• The small staff of doctors, nurses and psychotherapists is steeling itself for an expected 100 percent increase in clients next year.• To steel himself, he served as a witness at two state executions.• She had been expecting changes and had steeled herself not to resent them.• I steeled myself, reached all the way in, and unlocked the door.• He stood straight and still, breathing hard as if he were steeling himself to do something.• And now he must steel himself to face a future without both his parents.• She steeled herself to look at the body again.• I steel myself to look them in the eyes. 