Idiom | Meaning | Example |
take up the slack |
do somebody's work, fill in
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When I'm away, Hal takes up the slack. He does my job.
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take with a grain of salt |
(See take it with a grain of salt)
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take you down a peg |
(See knock you down a peg)
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take you for all you've got |
take all your money by suing you or cheating you
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If she divorces you, she could take you for all you've got.
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take you in |
give you shelter and food, take care of
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Will your relatives take you in if you lose your job?
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take you to court |
sue you, bring a lawsuit against you
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If you don't pay for the damage, they could take you to court.
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take you to task |
ask you to explain, haul you up on the carpet
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Did Reverend Klinck take you to task for drinking beer? Did he tell you drinking is a sin?
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take you to the cleaners |
defeat you badly, win by many points
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If you play checkers with Lars, he'll take you to the cleaners.
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take your lumps |
endure bumps and hits, suffer through injuries
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To play hockey, you have to learn to take your lumps.
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take your pick |
choose one, say which one you prefer
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You can have Coke or Pepsi. Take your pick.
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