hold one's nose

hold one's nose (third-person singular simple present holds one's nose, present participle holding one's nose, simple past and past participle held one's nose)

1. To pinch one's nostrils closed with one's fingers, usually to block out an unpleasant smell.
2. (figurative) To reluctantly overcome one's revulsion.
   • 2010, Hank Paulson, On The Brink:

     To the public, AIG symbolized everything that had gone wrong with the system […] But like the president, I understood that we had to hold our noses and save the company in order to protect the frail financial system.