English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms - T, page 3
from: 'take shape'
to: 'take to the cleaners'
- take shape
- When something such as a plan or project begins to take shape, it starts to become organised
and acquire a definite form.
"My new website is beginning to take shape."
- When something such as a plan or project begins to take shape, it starts to become organised
and acquire a definite form.
- take as read
- Something that does not need to be discussed because it is already understood or agreed upon can be taken as read.
"We're getting married in September and you can take it as read that you are all invited."
- Something that does not need to be discussed because it is already understood or agreed upon can be taken as read.
- take/grab by the scruff of the neck
- If someone takes you by the scruff of the neck, they grab you firmly
by the back of your neck or collar.
(A mother cat carries a kitten by the scruff of the neck.)
"The barman took/grabbed the drunkard by the scruff of the neck and threw him out."
- If someone takes you by the scruff of the neck, they grab you firmly
by the back of your neck or collar.
- take down a peg
- If you take someone down a peg, you make that person realize that they are not as important as they think they are.
"He is too proud. Somebody needs to take him down a peg."
- If you take someone down a peg, you make that person realize that they are not as important as they think they are.
- take in good part
- A person who takes something in good part reacts to it in a good-humoured way, without taking offence.
"He got a lot of teasing about his promotion but he took it in good part."
- A person who takes something in good part reacts to it in a good-humoured way, without taking offence.
- take something to heart
- If you react to someone’s advice or criticism by taking it to heart,
you take it so personally or seriously that you are upset by it.
"Don’t take Dad’s comment to heart –he was just teasing you!"
- If you react to someone’s advice or criticism by taking it to heart,
you take it so personally or seriously that you are upset by it.
- take (something) in your stride
- When, in a difficult situation, you take things in your stride,
you deal with the situation calmly and without any special effort.
"When the take-over was announced, Tom stayed calm and took it in his stride."
- When, in a difficult situation, you take things in your stride,
you deal with the situation calmly and without any special effort.
- take (something) lying down
- If you take something lying down, you suffer as a
result of an offensive act without reacting or protesting.
"Jack won't take the accusation lying down - he'll fight to defend his reputation. "
- If you take something lying down, you suffer as a
result of an offensive act without reacting or protesting.
- take the money and run
- This expression means that you should be satisfied with what you have earned or achieved,
or accept a good proposal when you get it and not try for better.
"My father was offered a good price for his house and was hesitating. I thought he might have to wait a long time for a better offer, so I said “Take the money and run!"
- This expression means that you should be satisfied with what you have earned or achieved,
or accept a good proposal when you get it and not try for better.
- take (something) with a grain (or pinch) of salt
- If you are told to take something with a grain (or pinch) of salt, you are
being warned that the information may not be completely true, accurate or reliable.
"What you read in that newspaper should be taken with a pinch of salt! "
- If you are told to take something with a grain (or pinch) of salt, you are
being warned that the information may not be completely true, accurate or reliable.
- (not) take no for an answer
- Someone who will not take no for an answer is very insistent
in the way they make their request or offer, and is unwilling to accept a refusal.
"My grandmother insisted that we stay for dinner and she wouldn't take no for an answer."
- Someone who will not take no for an answer is very insistent
in the way they make their request or offer, and is unwilling to accept a refusal.
- take offline
- If you suggest that a subject be taken offline (during a meeting for example),
you consider that it is a separate issue and should be discussed at another time.
"Peter, you're confusing things, so let's take that offline shall we?"
- If you suggest that a subject be taken offline (during a meeting for example),
you consider that it is a separate issue and should be discussed at another time.
- take the rap (for something)
- If you take the rap for something, you accept blame or punishment for a wrongdoing,
even if you are not responsible for it.
"Since nobody admitted responsibility, the whole class had to take the rap for the disorder."
- If you take the rap for something, you accept blame or punishment for a wrongdoing,
even if you are not responsible for it.
- take someone for a ride
- To take someone for a ride means to cheat or deceive them.
"I discovered he had charged me double the normal fee. He really took me for a ride!"
- To take someone for a ride means to cheat or deceive them.
- take a stand
- If you take a stand, you adopt a firm position on an
issue and publicly declare whether or not you support it.
"The politician was asked to take a stand on the government's proposed measures to curb illegal immigration."
- If you take a stand, you adopt a firm position on an
issue and publicly declare whether or not you support it.
- take steps
- If you take steps, you start a course of action in order to accomplish something.
"The town is taking steps to improve security in public car parks."
- If you take steps, you start a course of action in order to accomplish something.
- take the sting out of something
- If you take the sting out of something, you manage to
reduce the severity or unpleasantness of something.
"A comforting voice and sympathetic attitude can take the sting out of bad news."
- If you take the sting out of something, you manage to
reduce the severity or unpleasantness of something.
- take stock of a situation
- If you take stock of a situation you assess all the aspects in order to form an opinion.
"He took time to take stock of the situation before making a suggestion. "
- If you take stock of a situation you assess all the aspects in order to form an opinion.
- take someone to the cleaners
- If someone is taken to the cleaners, they lose a lot of money in an unfair way, usually by being robbed or cheated.
"When the company Tom had invested in went bankrupt, he realized he had been taken to the cleaners."
- If someone is taken to the cleaners, they lose a lot of money in an unfair way, usually by being robbed or cheated.
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