bitter pill

The result was a bitter pill for Prescott to swallow, with 78% of the votes cast against devolution.

Mrs Richardson said losing the money her parents had left was a “bitter pill to swallow”.

"I feel like I've been playing really great golf all week in practice and it was a bitter pill to swallow to be sat out for as many sessions as I was," said Maguire.

This will be another bitter pill for McIlroy to swallow at the end of a week that for a long time promised to deliver one of the most stirring wins of his career.

"It was lovely, he brought his mum along to see it and that's why this is such a bitter pill to swallow," Mr Jenkins said.