[take a liking to] See: TAKE A FANCY TO.

[take a load off one’s feet]{v. phr.} To alleviate one’s fatigue bysitting down during some taxing work. •/"You’ve been standing there forhours, Jake," John said. "Why don’t you take a load off your feet?"/

[take a long breath] See: DRAW A LONG BREATH.

[take amiss] or [the wrong way] {v. phr.} To become offended due toa misunderstanding. •/"I hope you won’t take it amiss," the boss said toJane, "that I find you irresistibly attractive."/

[take a new turn]{v. phr.} To start a new course; decide upon a newdirection. •/The company took a new turn under Jack’s directorship./

[take a nose dive]{v. phr.} To plummet; fall sharply. •/The stockmarket took a nose dive after the news of the President’s heart attack./

[take a notion] See: TAKE INTO ONE’S HEAD.

[take apart]{v. phr.} To dismantle; disassemble. •/Boys like takingradios and watches apart, but they seldom know how to put them back togetheragain./

[take a poke at] See: TAKE A PUNCH AT.

[take a pot shot at] See: POTSHOT.

[take a powder]{v. phr.}, {slang} To leave hurriedly; run out oraway; desert, flee. •/All the gang except one had taken a powder when thepolice arrived./

[take a punch at] or [take a poke at] or [take a sock at] {v.phr.} To try to hit (someone) with the fist; swing or strike at; attack withthe fists. •/Bob was very angry and suddenly he took a punch at Fred./•/Johnny knocked my hat off, so I took a poke at him./ •/I felt liketaking a sock at Joe, but I kept my temper./

[take a risk] See: RUN A RISK.

[take a shine to]{v. phr.}, {slang} To have or show a quick likingfor. •/He took a shine to his new teacher the very first day./ Compare:TAKE A FANCY TO.

[take a shot at]{v. phr.} To try casually; attempt to do. •/"Can youhandle all these new book orders?" Tom asked. "I haven’t done it before," Sallyreplied, "but I can sure take a shot at it."/

[take a sock at] See: TAKE A PUNCH AT.

[take a spill]{v. phr.} To fall down; tip over. •/During the harshwinter, when the sidewalk is covered with ice, many people take a spill./

[take at one’s word]{v. phr.} To believe everything (someone) says; toact on what is said. •/If you say you don’t want this coat, I’ll take you atyour word and throw it away./ •/When the king said he wished to be rid ofhis advisor, a friend took him at his word and murdered the councillor./

[take a stand]{v. phr.} To assert one’s point. of view; declare one’sposition. •/It is time for American society to take a stand against crime./

[take a turn]{v. phr.} To become different; change. •/Mary’s feversuddenly took a bad turn./ •/The story took an odd turn./ Often used with"for the better" or "for the worse". •/In the afternoon the weather took aturn for the better./ •/Suddenly the battle took a turn for the worse./

[take a turn for the better]{v. phr.} To start improving; start to getbetter. •/Aunt Hermione was very ill for a long time, but last week shesuddenly took a turn for the better./

[take a turn for the worse] See: FOR THE WORSE. Contrast: TAKE A TURN FORTHE BETTER.

[take a whack at] See: TAKE A SHOT AT.

[take back]{v.} To change or deny something offered, promised, orstated; admit to making a wrong statement. •/I take back my offer to buy thehouse now that I’ve had a good look at it./ •/I want you to take back theunkind things you said about Kenneth./

[take by storm]{v. phr.} 1. To capture by a sudden or very boldattack. •/The army did not hesitate. They took the town by storm./ 2. Towin the favor or liking of; make (a group of people) like or believe you.•/The comic took the audience by storm./ •/John gave Jane so muchattention that he took her by storm, and she said she would marry him./Compare: MAKE A HIT.

[take by surprise]{v. phr.} 1. To appear in front of someone suddenlyor to suddenly discover him before he discovers you; come before (someone) isready; appear before (someone) unexpectedly. •/The policeman took the burglarby surprise as he opened the window./ •/When Mrs. Green’s dinner guestscame half an hour early, they took her by surprise./ 2. To fill with surpriseor amazement; astonish. •/Ellen was taken by surprise when the birthday cakewas brought in./ •/When our teacher quit in the middle of the year to workfor the government, it took us all by surprise./

[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 uschatting idly by the coffee machine./ 3. To assume firm control over a job ora situation that has been causing some difficulty. •/Someone had better takethe post office by the scruff; there are too many customer complaints pouringin./

[take care]{v. phr.} To be careful; use wisdom or caution. •/Takecare that you don’t spill that coffee!/ •/We must take care to let nobodyhear about this./

[take care of]{v. phr.} 1. To attend to; supply the needs of. •/Shestayed 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 ofthe opposing player./ Compare: SEE TO.

[take charge]{v. phr.} To begin to lead or control; take control orresponsibility; undertake the care or management (of persons or things).•/When Mrs. Jackson was in the hospital, her sister took charge of theJackson children until Mrs. Jackson could care for them./ •/The child careclass gave a party for the nursery children, and Mary took charge of thegames./ •/John was elected the new president of the club and took charge atthe next meeting./ •/Bob is a natural leader, and can take charge in anemergency./ Compare: IN CHARGE(2).

[take cold] See: CATCH COLD.

[take cover]{v. phr.} To seek shelter or protection. •/The rainbegan so suddenly that we had to take cover in a doorway./

[take down]{v.} 1. To write or record (what is said). •/I will tellyou how to get to the place; you had better take it down./ 2. To pull topieces; take apart. •/It will be a big job to take that tree down./ •/Inthe evening the campers put up a tent, and the next morning they took itdown./ 3. {informal} To reduce the pride or spirit of; humble. •/Bobthought he was a good wrestler, but Henry took him down./ Syn.: TAKE DOWN ANOTCH.

[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 proudof 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 tookeffect./ 2. To become lawfully right, or operative. •/The new tax law willnot take effect until January./

[take exception to]{v. phr.} To speak against; find fault with; bedispleased or angered by; criticize. •/There was nothing in the speech thatyou could take exception to./ •/Did she take exception to my remarks abouther cooking./