Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[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./

[take in stride] <v. phr.> To meet happenings without too much surprise; accept good or bad luck and go on. * /He learned to take disappointments in stride./

[take in tow] <v. phr.> To take charge of; lead; conduct. * /Brian and Kate took a group of children in tow when they went to see the circus./

[take into account] <v. phr.> To remember and understand while judging someone or something; consider. * /How much time will we need to get to the lake? You have to take the bad road into account./ * /His acting in the play was remarkable, taking into account his youth and inexperience./ Syn.: RECKON WITH. Contrast: LEAVE OUT OF ACCOUNT.

[take issue with] <v. phr.> To be openly against; speak against; disagree with. * /He thought his boss was wrong but was afraid to take issue with him on the matter./

[take it] <v. phr.> 1. To get an idea or impression; understand from what is said or done.
– Usually used with "I". * /I take it from your silence that you don't want to go./ 2. <informal> To bear trouble, hard work, criticism; not give up or weaken. * /Henry could criticize and tease other boys, but he couldn't take it himself./ * /Bob lost his job and his girl in the same week, and we all admired the way he took it./

[take it all in] <v. phr.> To absorb completely; listen attentively. * /Bill's piano music filled the room and we took it all in with admiration./

[take it away] <v. phr.>, <informal>, <Theatrical expression> You're on; it's your turn; you're next. * /And here comes that wonderful comedian, Bob Hope. The announcer said, "Take it away. Bob."/

[take it easy] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. or [go easy] or [take things easy] To go or act slowly, carefully, and gently.
– Often used with "on". * /Take it easy. The roads are icy./ * /"Go easy," said Billy to the other boys carrying the table down the stairs./ * /"Take it easy on John and don't scold him too much," said Mrs. Jones to Mr. Jones./ * /Go easy on the cake. There isn't much left./ 2. or [take things easy] To avoid hard work or worry; have an easy time; live in comfort. * /The doctor said that Bob would have to take things easy for awhile after he had his tonsils out./ * /Barbara likes to take it easy./ * /Grandfather will retire from his job next year and take things easy./ * /Mr. Wilson has just made a lot of money and can take things easy now./

[take it from the top] <v. phr.>, <informal> <Musical and theatrical expression> To start again from the beginning. * /The conductor said, "We must try it once again. Take it from the top and watch my baton."/

[take it into one's head] or <informal> [take a notion] <v. phr.> To get a sudden idea; decide without thinking. * /The boy suddenly took it into his head to leave school and get a job./ * /Grandmother keeps a bag packed so that she can go visiting whenever she takes a notion./