46 to be taken aback → see aback
47 to take up arms → see arm ➋
48 to take the biscuit → see biscuit
49 to take the bull by the horns → see bull
50 to take your hat off to someone → see hat
51 to take the mickey → see mickey
52 to take the piss out of someone → see piss
53 to take something as read → see read
54 to be taken for a ride → see ride
55 to take someone by surprise → see surprise
56 take my word for it → see word
▸ take after PHRASAL VERB [no passive] If you take after a member of your family, you resemble them in your appearance, your behaviour, or your character. □ [V P n] Ted's always been difficult, Mr Kemp–he takes after his dad.
▸ take apart
1 PHRASAL VERB If you take something apart , you separate it into the different parts that it is made of. □ [V n P ] When the clock stopped, he took it apart and found what was wrong. [Also V P n (not pron)]
2 PHRASAL VERB If you take apart something such as an argument or an idea, you show what its weaknesses are, usually by analysing it carefully. □ [V n P ] They will take that problem apart and analyse it in great detail. □ [V P n] He proceeds to take apart every preconception anyone might have ever had about him.
▸ take away
1 PHRASAL VERB If you take something away from someone, you remove it from them, so that they no longer possess it or have it with them. □ [V n P ] They're going to take my citizenship away. □ [V n P + from ] 'Give me the knife,' he said softly, 'or I'll take it away from you.' □ [V P n] In prison they'd taken away his watch and everything he possessed.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you take one number or amount away from another, you subtract one number from the other. □ [V n P + from ] Add up the bills for each month. Take this away from the income. [Also V P n, V n P ]
3 PHRASAL VERB To take someone away means to bring them from their home to an institution such as a prison or hospital. □ [V n P ] Two men claiming to be police officers called at the pastor's house and took him away. □ [V P n] Soldiers took away four people, one of whom was later released.
4 → see also takeaway
▸ take away from PHRASAL VERB If something takes away from an achievement, success, or quality, or takes something away from it, it makes it seem lower in value or worth than it should be. □ [V P P n] 'It's starting to rain again.'—'Not enough to take away from the charm of the scene.' □ [V n P P n] The victory looks rather hollow. That takes nothing away from the courage of the fighting forces.
▸ take back
1 PHRASAL VERB If you take something back , you return it to the place where you bought it or where you borrowed it from, because it is unsuitable or broken, or because you have finished with it. □ [V n P ] If I buy something and he doesn't like it, I'll take it back. □ [V P n] I once took back a pair of shoes that fell apart after a week.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you take something back , you admit that something that you said or thought is wrong. □ [V n P ] I take it back, I think perhaps I am an extrovert. □ [V P n] Take back what you said about Jeremy!
3 PHRASAL VERB If you take someone back , you allow them to come home again, after they have gone away because of a quarrel or other problem. □ [V n P ] Why did she take him back? □ [V P n] The government has agreed to take back some of the refugees.
4 PHRASAL VERB If you say that something takes you back , you mean that it reminds you of a period of your past life and makes you think about it again. □ [V n P + to ] I enjoyed experimenting with colours–it took me back to being five years old. □ [V n P ] This takes me back.
▸ take down
1 PHRASAL VERB If you take something down , you reach up and get it from a high place such as a shelf. □ [V n P ] Alberg took the portrait down from the wall. □ [V P n] Gil rose and went to his bookcase and took down a volume.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you take down a structure, you remove each piece of it. □ [V P n] The army took down the barricades erected by the rebels. □ [V n P ] They put up the bird table, but it got in everyone else's way so Les tried to take it down.
3 PHRASAL VERB If you take down a piece of information or a statement, you write it down. □ [V n P ] We've been trying to get back to you, Tom, but we think we took your number down incorrectly. □ [V P n] I took down his comments in shorthand.
▸ take in
1 PHRASAL VERB If you take someone in , you allow them to stay in your house or your country, especially when they do not have anywhere to stay or are in trouble. □ [V n P ] He persuaded Jo to take him in. □ [V P n] The monastery has taken in 26 refugees.
2 PHRASAL VERB If the police take someone in , they remove them from their home in order to question them. □ [V n P ] The police have taken him in for questioning in connection with the murder of a girl. [Also V P n]
3 PHRASAL VERB If you are taken in by someone or something, you are deceived by them, so that you get a false impression of them. □ [be V -ed P ] I married in my late teens and was taken in by his charm–which soon vanished. □ [V n P ] I know I was a naive fool to trust him but he is a real charmer who totally took me in. [Also V P n (not pron)]