The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  take place 1. Happen, occur, as in Let me know where the ceremony will take place. [Second half of 1700s] 2. take the place of. Substitute for, as in These glasses will have to take the place of wine goblets, or Jane took her sister’s place in line. [Second half of 1800s]

  take potluck Come to eat whatever happens to be served; also, take one’s chances. For example, You’re welcome to join us for supper but you’ll have to take potluck, or When the flight was canceled, passengers had to take potluck on other airlines. This idiom alludes to accepting whatever happens to be in the cooking pot. [Second half of 1700s]

  take pride in → See PRIDE ONESELF ON.

  take root Become established or fixed, as in We’re not sure how the movement took root, but it did so very rapidly. This idiom transfers the establishment of a plant, whose roots settle into the earth, to other matters. [Late 1500s]

  take shape Also, shape up. Turn out, develop, acquire a distinctive form, as in Her reelection campaign is already taking shape, two years before the election, or Can you tell us how the book is shaping up? The first term dates from the mid-1700s and the variant, originally put as shape out, from about 1600.

  take sick → See GET SICK.

  take sides Also, take someone’s side. Support or favor one party in a dispute, as in Parents shouldn’t take sides in their children’s quarrels, or Thanks for taking my side concerning the agenda. [c. 1700] Also see TAKE SOMEONE’S PART.

  take some doing → See TAKE DOING.

  take someone at his or her word Also, take someone’s word for. Accept what someone says on trust, as in Since he said he’d agree to any of my ideas, I’ll take him at his word, or She said she wanted to help out and I took her word for it. This idiom appeared in Miles Coverdale’s translation of the Bible: “He said... he is my brother. And the men took him shortly at his word” (I Kings 20:32-33). It is still so used. [1535]

  take someone for a ride 1. Cheat or deliberately mislead someone, as in Car salesmen will take you for a ride in more ways than one! [Colloquial; c. 1920] 2. Murder someone, as in The gang threatened to take him for a ride. [Slang; 1920] Both usages allude to taking a person for an automobile ride.

  take someone in → See TAKE IN, def. 5.

  take someone’s life 1. Kill someone, as in They argued about invoking the death penalty for taking someone’s life. [c. 1300] 2. take one’s own life. Commit suicide, as in Most churches have long ­opposed taking one’s own life. [First half of 1900s] 3. take one’s life in one’s hands. Take a serious risk, as in Climbing Everest without oxygen is really taking your life in your hands.

  take someone’s measure Also, take the measure of someone. Size someone up, evaluate someone or something, as in At their first meeting, heads of state generally try to take each other’s measure, or The voters are taking the measure of the union’s demands. [Mid-1600s]

  take someone’s name in vain Speak casually or idly of someone, as in There he goes, taking my name in vain again. This idiom originated as a translation from the Latin of the Vulgate Bible (Exodus 20:7), “to take God’s name in vain,” and for a time was used only to denote blasphemy and profanity. In the early 1700s it began to be used more loosely as well.

  take someone’s part Stand up for or support someone, as in Thanks for taking my part against the supervisor. This idiom uses part in the sense of “side in a dispute.” It was first recorded in 1732, although a different version, take part with, dates from the early 1400s. Also see TAKE SIDES; TAKE PART.

  take someone’s point Understand what someone is saying, concede the truth of what someone said, as in Am I taking your point correctly when you say you disagree but do not object? [Late 1800s]

  take someone’s word for → See TAKE SOMEONE AT HIS OR HER WORD.

  take something → See under TAKE IT.

  take something on faith → See ON FAITH.

  takes one to know one → See IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE.

  take steps Begin a course of action, as in The town is taking steps to provide better street lights, or They took steps to keep their plans secret. [Early 1600s]

  take stock Make an estimate or appraisal, as in We have to take stock of our finances before we can undertake a new project, or The career counselor advised Mark to take stock before changing his plans. This expression transfers making an inventory of goods (stock) to other kinds of appraisal. [Early 1800s]

  take stock in Trust, believe, attach importance to, as in He exaggerates so much that I don’t take stock in anything he says. This term uses stock in the sense of “capital.” [Second half of 1800s]

  takes two → See IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO.

  take the bit in one’s mouth Also, take the bit between one’s teeth. Throw off restraints and proceed on a headlong course, take control. For example, My partner took the bit in his mouth and bid a grand slam, or Jane took the bit between her teeth and now there’s no stopping her. This idiom alludes to the bit, the metal mouthpiece of a bridle whereby a rider controls a horse. [c. 1600]

  take the bitter with the sweet Accept adversity as well as good fortune, as in Although he got the job, he hadn’t counted on having to work with Matthew; he’ll just have to take the bitter with the sweet. This idiom uses bitter for “bad” and sweet for “good,” a usage dating from the late 1300s. It was first recorded in John Heywood’s 1546 proverb collection. For a synonym, see TAKE THE ROUGH WITH THE SMOOTH.

  take the bread out of someone’s mouth Deprive someone of his or her livelihood, as in Lowering wages is taking the bread out of the workers’ mouths. [c. 1700]

  take the bull by the horns Confront a problem head-on, as in We’ll have to take the bull by the horns and tackle the Medicare question. This term most likely alludes to grasping a safely tethered bull, not one the matador is fighting in the ring. [c. 1800]

  take the cake Be the most outstanding in some respect, either the best or the worst. For example, That advertising slogan really took the cake, or What a mess they made of the concert—that takes the cake! This expression alludes to a contest called a cakewalk, in which a cake is the prize. Its figurative use, for something either excellent or outrageously bad, dates from the 1880s.

  take the edge off Ease or assuage, make less severe, as in That snack took the edge off our hunger, or Her kind manner took the edge off her refusal. This term alludes to blunting the edge of a cutting instrument. Shakespeare used it figuratively in The Tempest (4:1): “To take away the edge of that day’s celebration.” The precise wording of the ­idiom dates from the first half of the 1900s.

  take the fall Incur blame or censure for another’s misdeeds, as in She’s taken the fall for you in terms of any political damage, or A senior official took the fall for the failed intelligence operation. This expression originated in the 1920s as underworld slang. It began to be extended to less criminal kinds of blame in the second half of the 1900s. Also see TAKE A FALL, def. 2; TAKE THE RAP.

  take the field Enter a competition, as in The country’s best spellers took the field in the national spelling bee. This term originated around 1600 when it meant “to open a military campaign.” The field here is the field of battle. The term has been used figuratively almost as long, the first recorded use being in 1614.

  take the Fifth Refuse to answer on the grounds that one may incriminate oneself, as in He took the Fifth on so many of the prosecutor’s questions that we’re sure he’s guilty. This idiom refers to the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states that no person shall be compelled to be a witness against himself or herself. [Mid-1900s]

  take the floor Rise to speak formally to an assembled group, as in After that long introduction, the treasurer took the floor. This idiom uses floor in the sense of “right to speak,” in turn derived from its meaning as the part of the legislature from which members address the group. [c. 1800]

  take the heat Endure severe censure or criticism, as in He was known for being able to take the heat during a crisis. This idiom uses heat in the sense of “inte
nse pressure,” as in IF YOU CAN’T STAND THE HEAT, GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN. [First half of 1900s]

  take the initiative Begin a task or plan of action, as in The boss was on vacation when they ran out of materials, so Julie took the initiative and ordered more. This term uses initiative in the sense of “the power to originate something,” a usage dating from the late 1700s.

  take the law into one’s hands Also, take the law into one’s own hands. Replace the established authority with one’s own, as in While the captain was on shore the sailors took the law into their own hands and sneaked the prisoner off the ship. Generally indicating disapproval of doing something forbidden, this idiom was first recorded in 1606.

  take the liberty of Act on one’s own authority without permission from another, as in I took the liberty of forwarding the mail to his summer address. It is also put as take the liberty to, as in He took the liberty to address the Governor by her first name. This rather formal locution was first recorded in 1625 and does not imply the opprobrium of the similar-sounding TAKE LIBERTIES.

  take the load off Sit down, relax, as in I wish you’d take some time and take the load off. A shortening of take the load off one’s feet, this colloquial phrase dates from about 1940. It is sometimes put as take a load off.

  take the plunge Venture something, commit oneself, as in You’ve been living together for a year, so when are you going to take the plunge and get married? It is also put as make the plunge, plunge alluding to diving in a body of water. [Mid-1800s]

  take the pulse of Also, feel the pulse of. Try to determine the intentions or sentiments of a person or group, as in These exit polls allegedly take the pulse of the voters, but I don’t believe they’re very meaningful. [First half of 1600s] Also see FEEL OUT.

  take the rap Be punished or blamed for something, as in I don’t want to take the rap for Mary, who forgot to mail the check in time, or Steve is such a nice guy that he’s always taking the rap for his colleagues. This slangy idiom originally used rap in the sense of “a criminal charge,” a usage still current. By the mid-1900s it was also used more broadly.

  take the rough with the smooth Accept the bad along with the good, as in You can’t expect to close a lot of sales every week—you have to take the rough with the smooth. This adage was first recorded about 1400. Also see TAKE THE BITTER WITH THE SWEET.

  take the starch out of Deflate or ridicule someone, as in That practical joke at the office party really took the starch out of Nick. This expression, first recorded in 1840, alludes to the starch used to stiffen a shirt.

  take the sting out of Lessen the severity or unpleasantness of something, as in That senior citizen discount took the sting out of the airfares. [Mid-1800s]

  take the trouble → See GO TO THE TROUBLE.

  take the wind out of someone’s sails Hamper or stop one, put one at a disadvantage, as in When they announced they were doing the same study as ours, it took the wind out of our sails, or The applause for the concertmaster took the wind out of the conductor’s sails. This expression alludes to sailing to windward of another ship, thereby robbing it of wind for its sails. [Early 1800s]

  take the words out of someone’s mouth Anticipate what someone is about to say; also, completely agree with someone. For example, When you mentioned her dislike of fish you took the words right out of my mouth, or You took the words out of my mouth when you said he was stupid. This idiom was first recorded in 1574.

  take the wrong way Also, take amiss. Misunderstand, misinterpret, especially so as to take offense. For example, I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but you have to give others a chance to speak, or Please don’t take their criticism amiss; they mean well. The variant dates from the late 1300s. Also see GET SOMEONE WRONG.

  take to 1. Have recourse to, go to, as in They took to the woods. [c. 1200] 2. Develop as a habit or steady practice, as in He took to coming home later and later. [c. 1300] 3. Become fond of, like, as in I took to him immediately, or The first time she skied she took to it. This expression, from the mid-1700s, is sometimes expanded to take to it like a duck to water, a simile dating from the late 1800s. 4. take to be. Understand, consider, or assume, as in I took it to be the right entrance. [Mid-1500s] Also see the subsequent entries beginning with TAKE TO.

  take to heart Be deeply moved or affected or upset by, as in I know you’ll take these comments about your story to heart, or She really took that college rejection to heart. [c. 1300]

  take to one’s heels Run away, as in When the burglar alarm went off they took to their heels. This expression alludes to the fact that the heels are all one sees of a fugitive running away fast. Although similar expressions turned up from Shakespeare’s time on, the exact idiom dates only from the first half of the 1800s. Also see SHOW ONE’S HEELS.

  take to task Upbraid, scold; blame or censure. For example, The teacher took Doris to task for turning in such a sloppy report. This term, dating from the mid-1700s, at first meant either assigning or challenging someone to a task. Its current sense dates from the late 1800s.

  take to the cleaners 1. Take or cheat one out of all of one’s money or possessions, as in Her divorce lawyer took him to the cleaners, or That broker has taken a number of clients to the cleaners. [Slang; early 1900s] 2. Drub, beat up, as in He didn’t just push you—he took you to the cleaners. [Slang; early 1900s]

  take turns Alternate, as in Since there is only one horse, Beth and Amanda are taking turns riding. This phrase uses turn in the sense of “one of a series of actions done in succession.” [Late 1300s] Also see IN TURN.

  take umbrage Feel resentment, take offense, as in Aunt Agatha is quick to take umbrage at any suggestion to do things differently. This expression features one of the rare surviving uses of umbrage, which now means “resentment” but comes from the Latin umbra, for “shade,” and presumably alludes to the “shadow” of displeasure. [Late 1600s]

  take under one’s wing → See UNDER ONE’S WING.

  take up 1. Raise, lift, as in We have to take up the old carpet and sand the floor. [c. 1300] 2. Reduce in size, shorten, tighten, as in I have to take up the hem of this coat, or You have to take up the slack in that reel or you’ll never land a fish. [c. 1800] 3. Station oneself, settle in, as in We took up our positions at the front. [Mid-1500s] 4. Accept an option, bet, or challenge, as in No one wanted to take up that bet. This usage is often expanded to take someone up on, as in You’re offering to clean the barn? I’ll take you up on that. Take up dates from about 1700, the variant from the early 1900s. 5. Develop an interest: in, begin an activity, as in Jim took up gardening. [Mid-1400s] Also see GO INTO, def. 3. 6. Use up or occupy entirely, as in The extra duties took up most of my time, or This desk takes up too much space in the office, or How much room will your car take up? [c. 1600] 7. Begin again, resume, as in I’ll take up the story where you left off. [Mid-1600s] 8. Deal with, as in Let’s take up these questions one at a time. [c. 1500] 9. Absorb, as in These large trees are taking up all the water in the soil. [Late 1600s] 10. Support, adopt as a protegé, as in She’s always taking up one or another young singer. [Late 1300s] Also see the subsequent entries beginning with TAKE UP.

  take up a collection Request and gather donations, as in They were taking up a collection for the church that burned down, or The veterans’ group takes up a collection every month of household goods and furniture. This idiom was first recorded in 1849.

  take up arms Also, take up the cudgels. Become involved in a conflict, either physical or verbal, as in The Kurds took up arms against the Iranians at least two centuries ago, or Some believe it’s the vice-president’s job to take up the cudgels for the president. The first term originated in the 1400s in the sense of going to war. The variant, alluding to cudgels as weapons, has been used figuratively since the mid-1600s and is probably obsolescent.

  take up for Support in an argument, as in To our surprise her father took up for her fiancé. [Second half of 1800s]

  take up on → See TAKE UP, def. 4. />
  take up space Also, take up room or time. → See TAKE UP, def. 6.

  take up where one left off → See TAKE UP, def. 7.

  take up with Begin to associate with, consort with, as in She took up with a fast crowd. [Early 1600s]

  take wing → See TAKE FLIGHT.

  take with a grain of salt → See WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.

  tale → See OLD WIVES’ TALE; TALL TALE; TELL TALES; THEREBY HANGS A TALE.

  talk → In addition to the idioms beginning with TALK, also see ALL TALK (AND NO ACTION); DIRTY JOKE (TALK DIRTY); DOUBLE TALK; HEART TO HEART (TALK); LOOK WHO’S TALKING; MONEY TALKS; NOW YOU’RE TALKING; SMALL TALK; STRAIGHT TALK; SWEET TALK.

  talk around Also, talk round. Persuade, as in I talked him around to my point of view, or He had a hard time talking them round, but they finally agreed to postpone the tournament. Also see TALK INTO.

  talk at Speak to someone without regard for or ­interest in his or her reaction or response. For example, She had a way of talking at us that was quite unpleasant. [First half of 1800s]

  talk back Also, answer back. Reply rudely or impertinently, as in She was always in trouble for talking back, or The teacher won’t allow anyone to answer back to her. [Second half of 1800s]

  talk big Brag, boast, as in I don’t believe he’s ever shot even a duck, but he sure talks big about hunting. This colloquial idiom was first recorded in 1699.

  talk dirty → See under DIRTY JOKE.

  talk down 1. Belittle, depreciate, as in They talked down the importance of the move. 2. Overpower by speaking loudly and persistently, as in They talked down whatever objections she brought up. [Early 1800s] 3. Help an aircraft to land by giving directions via radio, as in The fog was so thick the control tower had to talk us down. [c. 1940] 4. See TALK DOWN TO.