put on/wear a hair shirt

žít v odříkání, asketicky

I don't think you have to put on a hair shirt in order to be a socialist. CIDI

The food certainly does not wear a hair shirt, and nor does Rex, ebullient and gregarious, ensuring a meal at his place is a sort of crazy party with himself as the slightly eccentric host. BNC-B

If Cleo represented a hair shirt, he would wear it, and withstand the chafing. BNC-B

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