Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[take the law into one’s own hands]{v. phr.} To protect one’s supposed rights or punish a suspected wrongdoer without reference to a court. — An overused expression. •/When the men of the settlement caught the suspected murderer, they took the law into their own hands and hanged him to a tree./ •/His farm was going to be sold for taxes, but he took the law into his own hands and drove the sheriff away with a shotgun./ Compare: LAW UNTO ONESELF, TAKE THE BIT IN ONE’S MOUTH.

[take the lid off]{v. phr.} 1. To let out in the open; divulge. •/It’s about time to take the lid off the question of how many prisoners of war are still in enemy hands./ 2. To start to face an issue. •/"The best way to deal with your divorce," the doctor said to Fran, "is to take the lid off of it."/ Compare: BLOW THE LID OFF, LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG.

[take the measure of] See: TAKE ONE’S MEASURE.

[take the offensive]{v. phr.} To make oneself the attacking party. •/After many months of preparation, the freedom fighters were ready to take the offensive./ Contrast TAKE THE DEFENSIVE.

[take the pledge]{v. phr.} To swear to give up drinking, smoking, or using drugs. •/Gary finally took the pledge and he has kept it thus far./

[take the plunge]{v. phr.} To take a fatal or decisive step; venture. •/When I asked Don when he and Melissa were going to get married, he answered that they’ll take the plunge in September./

[take the rap]{v. phr.}, {slang} To receive punishment; to be accused and punished. •/All of the boys took apples, but only John took the rap./ •/Joe took the burglary rap for his brother and went to prison for two years./

[take the stand]{v. phr.} To assume one’s position in the witness box during a trial. •/The judge asked the defendant to take the stand./

[take the starch out of]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To make (someone) feel weak or tired. •/The hot weather took the starch out of Mrs. Jones, and she didn’t feel like doing a thing./ •/The cross-country run took all the starch out of the boys./ 2. See: TAKE THE WIND OUT OF ONE’S SAILS.

[take the stump] or [take to the stump]{v. phr.} To travel around to different places making political speeches. •/The men running for president took to the stump to attract votes./

[take the trouble] See: GO TO THE TROUBLE.

[take the wind out of one’s sails]{v. phr.} To surprise someone by doing better or by catching him in an error. •/John came home boasting about the fish he had caught; it took the wind out of his sails when he found his little sister had caught a bigger one./ •/Dick took the wind out of Bob’s sails by showing him where he was wrong./ Compare: TAKE THE STARCH OUT OF(2).

[take the words out of one’s mouth]{v. phr.} To say what another is just going to say; to put another’s thought into words. •/"Let’s go to the beach tomorrow." "You took the words right out of my mouth; I was thinking of that."/ •/I was going to suggest a movie, but she took the words out of my mouth and said she would like to see one./

[take things easy] See: TAKE IT EASY(2).