苦く杯はいを喫きっする

expression, suru verb (special)

drink a bitter cup; have a bitter experience; suffer a defeat

Idiomatic expression meaning to endure a painful or humiliating experience, often a defeat or setback. Similar to 苦杯をなめる, but 喫する is a more formal, literary verb for 'drink'.

See also: 苦杯をなめる

• 彼かれは選せん挙きょで苦く杯はいを喫きっした。

  He suffered a bitter defeat in the election.

• 交こう渉しょうの末すえ、我われ々われは苦く杯はいを喫きっすることになった。

  After negotiations, we ended up having to swallow a bitter pill.