[take its toll]{v. phr.} To cause loss or damage. •/The bombs had taken their toll on the little town./ •/The budget cut took its toll of teachers./

[take kindly to]{v.} To be pleased by; like. — Usually used in negative, interrogative, and conditional sentences. •/He doesn’t take kindly to any suggestions about running his business./ •/Will your father take kindly to the idea of your leaving college?/

[take leave of]{v. phr.} I. To abandon, go away from, or become separated from. — Usually used in the phrase "take leave of one’s senses". •/Come down from the roof, Billy! Have you taken leave of your senses?/ 2. See: TAKE ONE’S LEAVE.

[take leave of one’s senses]{v. phr.} To go mad; become crazy. •/"Have you taken leave of your senses? "Jake cried, when he saw Andy swallow a live goldfish./

[take liberties]{v. phr.} To act toward in too close or friendly a manner; use as you would use a close friend or something of your own. •/Mary would not let any boy take liberties with her./ •/Bill took liberties with Tom’s bicycle./ Compare: MAKE FREE WITH.

[take lying down]{v. phr.} To accept something without defense or protest. •/If you take such insults lying down, you will only encourage more of the same./

[taken aback] also [taken back] {adj.} Unpleasantly surprised; suddenly puzzled or shocked. •/When he came to pay for his dinner he was taken aback to find that he had left his wallet at home./

[taken by] or [with] {v. phr.} To be impressed by; intrigued by. •/Ned was much taken by the elegance of Sophie’s manners./

[take no stock in] See: TAKE STOCK IN.

[take note of] or [take notice of] {v. phr.} 1. To look carefully at; pay close attention to; observe well. •/A detective is trained to take note of people and things./ 2. To notice and act in response; pay attention. •/Two boys were talking together in the back of the room but the teacher took no notice of them./ •/The principal thanked everyone who helped in the program, and took note of the decorations made by the art class./

[take oath]{v. phr.} To promise to tell the truth or to do some task honestly, calling on God or some person or thing as a witness. •/Mary took her oath that she did not steal the watch./ •/John took oath that he would fill the office of president faithfully./

[takeoff]{n.} 1. Departure of an airplane; the act of becoming airborne. •/The nervous passenger was relieved that we had such a wonderfully smooth takeoff./ 2. Imitation; a parody. •/Vaughn Meader used to do a wonderful takeoff on President Kennedy’s speech./

[take off]{v. phr.} 1a. To leave fast; depart suddenly; run away. •/The dog took off after a rabbit./ Compare: LIGHT OUT. 1b. {informal} To go away; leave. •/The six boys got into the car and took off for the drug store./ 2. To leave on a flight, begin going up. •/A helicopter is able to take off and land straight up or down./ 3. {informal} To imitate amusingly; copy another person’s habitual actions or speech. •/He made a career of taking off famous people for nightclub audiences./ •/At the party, Charlie took off the principal and some of the teachers./ 4. To take (time) to be absent from work. •/When his wife was sick he took off from work./ •/Bill was tired out so he took the day off./

[take off one’s hat to]{v. phr.} To give honor, praise, and respect to. •/He is my enemy, but I take off my hat to him for his courage./ Compare: HAND IT TO.

[take offense at]{v. phr.} To become indignant; become angry. •/Why do you always take offense at everything I say?/

[take off one’s hands]{v. phr.} 1. To abdicate one’s responsibility of a person or matter. •/"I am herewith taking my hand off your affairs," Lou’s father said. "See how you succeed on your own."/ 2. To buy; relieve someone of something. •/He offered to take my old car off my hands for $350./

[take off the edge] See: TAKE THE EDGE OFF.

[take on]{v.} 1. To receive for carrying; be loaded with. •/A big ship was at the dock taking on automobiles in crates to carry overseas for sale./ •/The bus driver stopped at the curb to take the woman on./ 2. To begin to have (the look of); take (the appearance of). •/Others joined the fistfight until it took on the look of a riot./ •/After the students put up Christmas decorations, the classroom took on a holiday appearance./ 3a. To give a job to; hire; employ. •/The factory has opened and is beginning to take on new workers./ Contrast: LET GO(4), LET OFF, LET OUT(6). 3b. To accept in business or a contest. •/The big man took on two opponents at once./ •/After his father died, Bill took on the management of the factory./ •/We knew their football team was bigger and stronger, but we took them on anyway and beat them./ 4. {informal} To show great excitement, grief, or anger. •/At the news of her husband’s death she took on like a madwoman./ Compare: CARRY-ON.

[take one at one’s word]{v. phr.} To naively lend credence to what one tells one. •/It’s a bad idea to take street vendors at their word in large, crowded cities./

[take one’s breath away]{v. phr.} To surprise greatly; impress very much; leave speechless with surprise or wonder or delight; astonish. •/The sunset is so beautiful it takes our breath away./ •/His refusal was so unexpected it took my breath away./ Compare: CATCH ONE’S BREATH(1).

[take one’s death of] See: CATCH ONE’S DEATH OF.

[take one’s leave] or [take leave of] {v. phr.}, {formal} To say good-bye and leave. •/He stayed on after most of the guests had taken their leave./ •/The messenger bowed and took leave of the queen./ — [leave-taking] {n.} The end of school in June is a time of leave-taking.

[take one’s life in one’s hands]{v. phr.} To face great danger or take great risk. •/Driving that car with those worn tires would be taking your life in your hands./ •/He took his life in his hands when he tried to capture the wild horse./

[take one’s measure] or [take the measure of] {v. phr.} To judge the character, quality, or nature of; try to guess about something — how hard or easy, dangerous or safe, good or bad, etc. •/The boxers sparred for a while taking each other’s measure./ •/John took the measure of the cliff before he climbed it./ Compare: SIZE UP.

[take one’s medicine]{v. phr.} To accept punishment without complaining. •/The boy said he was sorry he broke the window and was ready to take his medicine./ Compare: FACE THE MUSIC(2).

[take one’s name in vain]{v. phr.} 1. To call upon (God) as a witness to your truth or honesty when you are lying; swear by (God) untruthfully. •/You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain./ 2. {informal} To talk about a person or mention his name. •/"Did I hear someone taking my name in vain?" asked Bill as he joined his friends./

[take one’s time]{v. phr.} To avoid haste; act in an unhurried way. •/He liked to take his time over breakfast./ •/It is better to take your time at this job than to hurry and make mistakes./

[take one’s word]{v. phr.} To believe one’s promise. •/Herb took Eric’s word when he promised to pay up his debt./

[take on faith]{v. phr.} To lend credence to something due to one’s confidence in the source, rather than based on evidence. •/One should never take on faith what one hears about Washington politics./