English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms T, page 2
Idioms T, page 2: from: 'take the law in own hands' to: 'take the rough with the smooth'
- take the law into your own hands
- If, instead of calling the police, you act personally against
someone who has done something wrong, you take the law into your own hands.
"Instead of calling the police, he took the law into his own hands and confronted the youth who had stolen his son's scooter."
- If, instead of calling the police, you act personally against
someone who has done something wrong, you take the law into your own hands.
- take leave of your senses
- To ask someone if they 'have
taken leave of their senses'
means that you think their behaviour is crazy.
"You're going skiing in this blizzard? Have you taken leave of your senses? "
- To ask someone if they 'have
taken leave of their senses'
means that you think their behaviour is crazy.
- take your life into your hands
- To say that someone is taking their life in their hands
means that they are taking the risk of being killed.
"If you drive home on this icy road, you'll be taking your life in your hands."
- To say that someone is taking their life in their hands
means that they are taking the risk of being killed.
- take a load off your mind
- If something takes a load (or weight)
off someone's mind, it brings great relief because a problem has been solved.
"When the company closed down, finding a new job took a load off Tom's mind."
- If something takes a load (or weight)
off someone's mind, it brings great relief because a problem has been solved.
- take matters into your own hands
- If you take matters into your hands, you take
action yourself rather than waiting for others to intervene.
"When Susan saw the lack of progress, she decided to take matters into her own hands."
- If you take matters into your hands, you take
action yourself rather than waiting for others to intervene.
- take the mickey out of someone
- If you take the mickey out of someone, you tease them
or make fun of their behaviour, sometimes in an unkind way.
"Jessica's dad is always taking the mickey out of her about the time she spends styling her hair."
- If you take the mickey out of someone, you tease them
or make fun of their behaviour, sometimes in an unkind way.
- take your mind off (something)
- If an activity takes your mind off something that is
worrying you, it helps you to stop thinking about it for a while.
"Sarah was worrying about the result of the test so Tom took her to the cinema to take her mind off it."
- If an activity takes your mind off something that is
worrying you, it helps you to stop thinking about it for a while.
- take it upon yourself
- If you take something upon yourself, you do it
without asking for permission or agreement.
"My colleague took it upon herself to redecorate the office during my absence."
- If you take something upon yourself, you do it
without asking for permission or agreement.
- take a nosedive
- If something takes a nosedive, it drops or decreases
in value very rapidly.
"The stock market took a nosedive when the property market began to weaken."
- If something takes a nosedive, it drops or decreases
in value very rapidly.
- take pains
- If you take pains to do something, you try very
hard or make a special effort to do it as well as possible.
"Great pains were taken to ensure the security of the athletes."
- If you take pains to do something, you try very
hard or make a special effort to do it as well as possible.
- take the plunge
- If you take the plunge, you finally decide to venture
into something you really want to do, in the spite of the risks involved.
"Mark and Emily finally took the plunge and opened a guesthouse."
- If you take the plunge, you finally decide to venture
into something you really want to do, in the spite of the risks involved.
- take a rain check
- To say that you take a rain check means that you cannot accept an
invitation or offer now, but you will be happy to accept it later.
"Do you mind if I take a rain check on that lunch invitation? I'm going to be away all week."
- To say that you take a rain check means that you cannot accept an
invitation or offer now, but you will be happy to accept it later.
- take the rap
- If you take the rap, you accept blame or punishment for
something, even if you are not responsible.
"The whole class had to the take the rap for the disorder."
- If you take the rap, you accept blame or punishment for
something, even if you are not responsible.
- take the rough with the smooth
- If you take the rough with the smooth, you accept what
is unpleasant or difficult as well as what is pleasant or easy.
"Life isn't always easy; you have to learn to take the rough with the smooth. "
- If you take the rough with the smooth, you accept what
is unpleasant or difficult as well as what is pleasant or easy.
previous page... next page ...
More Idioms:
alphabetical lists T ...
more alphabetical lists...
Please note that British English spelling is used on this website.