put a brave face on

put a brave face on (third-person singular simple present puts a brave face on, present participle putting a brave face on, simple past and past participle put a brave face on)

1. (with object) Behave confidently about (circumstances that are bad).
   • 2022 December 10, John Addington Symonds, The Renaissance in Italy (Complete 7 Volumes), DigiCat:

     Nevertheless De Comines put a brave face on the matter, and told the council that he had already received information of the league and had sent dispatches to his master on the subject. 'After dinner,' continues De Comines,  […]

• put on a brave face (“behave bravely or stoically”)

• put on a brave face