Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
Шрифт:
[take by the scruff] <v. phr.> 1. To assert authority over a person. * /Tim's mother took him by the scruff and told him to get cleaned up./ 2. To punish a person. * /The boss took us by the scruff when he found us chatting idly by the coffee machine./ 3. To assume firm control over a job or a situation that has been causing some difficulty. * /Someone had better take the post office by the scruff; there are too many customer complaints pouring in./
[take care] <v. phr.> To be careful; use wisdom or caution. * /Take care that you don't spill that coffee!/ * /We must take care to let nobody hear about this./
[take care of] <v. phr.> 1. To attend to; supply the needs of. * /She stayed home to take care of the baby./ Syn.: KEEP AN EYE ON(2), LOOK AFTER. Compare: IN CHARGE(2). 2. <informal> To deal with; do what is needed with. * /I will take care of that letter./ * /The coach told Jim to take care of the opposing player./ Compare: SEE TO.
[take charge] <v. phr.> To begin to lead or control; take control or responsibility; undertake the care or management (of persons or things). * /When Mrs. Jackson was in the hospital, her sister took charge of the Jackson children until Mrs. Jackson could care for them./ * /The child care class gave a party for the nursery children, and Mary took charge of the games./ * /John was elected the new president of the club and took charge at the next meeting./ * /Bob is a natural leader, and can take charge in an emergency./ Compare: IN CHARGE(2).
[take cold] See: CATCH COLD.
[take cover] <v. phr.> To seek shelter or protection. * /The rain began so suddenly that we had to take cover in a doorway./
[take down] <v.> 1. To write or record (what is said). * /I will tell you how to get to the place; you had better take it down./ 2. To pull to pieces; take apart. * /It will be a big job to take that tree down./ * /In the evening the campers put up a tent, and the next morning they took it down./ 3. <informal> To reduce the pride or spirit of; humble. * /Bob thought he was a good wrestler, but Henry took him down./ Syn.: TAKE DOWN A NOTCH.
[take down a notch] or [take down a peg] <v. phr.>, <informal> To make (someone) less proud or sure of himself. * /The team was feeling proud of its record, but last week the boys were taken down a peg by a bad defeat./
[take effect] <v. phr.> 1. To have an unexpected or intended result; cause a change. * /It was nearly an hour before the sleeping pill took effect./ 2. To become lawfully right, or operative. * /The new tax law will not take effect until January./
[take exception to] <v. phr.> To speak against; find fault with; be displeased or angered by; criticize. * /There was nothing in the speech that you could take exception to./ * /Did she take exception to my remarks about her cooking./
[take five] <v. phr.> To take a five-minute break during some work or theatrical rehearsal. * /"All right, everyone," the director cried. "Let's take five."/
[take for] <v.> To suppose to be; mistake for. * /Do you take me for a fool?/ * /At first sight you would take him for a football player, not a poet./
[take for a ride] <v. phr.>, <slang> 1. To take out in a car intending to murder. * /The gang leader decided that the informer must be taken for a ride./ 2. To play a trick on; fool. * /The girls told Linda that a movie star was visiting the school, but she did not believe them; she thought they were taking her for a ride./ Compare: STRING ALONG. 3. To take unfair advantage of; fool for your own gain. * /His girlfriend really took him for a ride before he stopped dating her./
[take for granted] <v. phr.> 1. To suppose or understand to be true. * /Mr. Harper took for granted that the invitation included his wife./ * /A teacher cannot take it for granted that students always do their homework./ Compare: BEG THE QUESTION. 2. To accept or become used to (something) without noticing especially or saying anything. * /George took for granted all that his parents did for him./ * /No girl likes to have her boyfriend take her for granted; instead, he should always try to make her like him better./
[take French leave] <v. phr.> To leave secretly; abscond. * /The party was so boring that we decided to take French leave./ * /While the Smith family was in Europe, the house-sitter packed up all the silver and took French leave./ See: SLIP AWAY.
[take heart] <v. phr.> To be encouraged; feel braver and want to try. * /The men took heart from their leader's words and went on to win the battle./ * /When we are in trouble we can take heart from the fact that things often seem worse than they are./ Contrast: LOSE HEART.
[take heed] <v. phr.>, <literary> To pay attention; watch or listen carefully; notice. * /Take heed not to spill coffee on the rug./
[take hold of] <v. phr.> To grasp. * /The old man tried to keep himself from falling down the stairs, but there was no railing to take hold of./
[take ill] or [take sick] <v.> To become sick. * /Father took sick just before his birthday./ - Used in the passive with the same meaning. * /The man was taken ill on the train./
[take in] <v.> 1. To include. * /The country's boundaries were changed to fake in a piece of land beyond the river./ * /The class of mammals takes in nearly all warm-blooded animals except the birds./ 2. To go and see; visit. * /The students decided to take in a movie while they were in town./ * /We planned to take in Niagara Palls and Yellowstone Park on our trip./ 3. To make smaller. * /This waistband is too big; it must be taken in about an inch./ * /They had to take in some sail to keep the ship from turning over in the storm./ 4. To grasp with the mind; understand. * /He didn't take in what he read because his mind was on something else./ * /He took in the situation at a glance./ 5a. To deceive; cheat; fool. * /The teacher was taken in by the boy's innocent manner./ Compare: PUT OVER, ROPE IN. 5b. To accept without question; believe. * /The magician did many tricks, and the children took it all in./ 6a. To receive; get. * /The senior class held a dance to make money and took in over a hundred dollars./ 6b. Let come in; admit. * /The farmer took in the lost travelers for the night./ * /When her husband died, Mrs. Smith took in boarders./ 7. To see or hear with interest; pay close attention to, * /When Bill told about his adventures, the other boys took it all in./