2002
Make sentences with the given Idiomatic phrases so that their meaning become clear: (10)
(1) take aback
Surprise, shock
He was taken aback by her caustic remark.
This idiom comes from nautical terminology of the mid-1700s, when be taken aback referred to the stalling of a ship caused by a wind shift that made the sails lay back against the masts. Its figurative use was first recorded in 1829.
(2) take after
Follow the example of; also, resemble in appearance, temperament, or character
Bill took after his uncle and began working as a volunteer for the Red Cross. [Mid-1500s]
(3) take for
- take ill (sick)
Become ill
It’s just my luck to get sick on vacation.
When was she taken ill? [Ninth century]
Become disgusted
We got sick as we learned how much money was wasted. I get sick when I hear about his debts. [Early 1500s]
(4) make one sick.
get sick to one’s stomach
be sick, become nauseated, vomit
If you eat any more candy you’ll get sick.
Sick to her stomach every morning? She must be pregnant. [Early 1600s]
(5) take off
Remove
Take off your coat and stay for a while. I took my foot off the brake. [c. 1300]
Deduct, decrease
He took 20 percent off the original price.
I want you to trim my hair, but please don’t take off too much. [c. 1700]
Carry or take away
The passengers were taken off one by one. [Late 1800s]
(7) take oneself off
Leave, go away
I’m taking off now.
We take ourselves off for China next month
as an imperative
Take yourself off right now! [First half of 1800s]
Move forward quickly
The dog took off after the car.
Become well known or popular, or achieve sudden growth
That actor’s career has really taken off.
Sales took off around the holidays. [Mid-1900s]
Rise in flight
The air plane took off on time. [Mid-1800s]
Discontinue
The rail road took off the commuter special. [Mid-1700s]
Imitate humorously or satirically
He had a way of taking off the governor that made us howl with laughter. [Mid-1700s]
Withhold service
I’m taking off from work today because of the funeral. [First half of 1900s]
(6) take over
Assume control, management, or possession of
The pilot told his copilot to take over the controls.
There’s a secret bid to take over our company. [Late 1800s]
(8) take for
To regard as
Do you take me for a fool?
To consider mistakenly
Don’t take silence for approval.
(9) take in
To grant admittance to; receive as a guest or an employee To reduce in size; make smaller or shorter
took in the waist on the pair of pants.
To include or constitute. To understand
Couldn’t take in the meaning of the word.
To deceive or swindle
was taken in by a confidence artist.
To look at thoroughly; view
took in the sights.
To accept (work) to be done in one’s house for pay
took in typing.
To convey (a prisoner) to a police station.
(10) take to task
Upbraid, scold; blame or censure
The teacher took Doris to task for turning in such a sloppy report.
This term, dating from the mid-1700s, at first meant either assigning or challenging someone to a task. Its current sense dates from the late 1800s.
(11) take to One’s heels
Run away
When the burglar alarm went off they took to their heels.
This expression alludes to the fact that the heels are all one sees of a fugitive running away fast. Although similar expressions turned up from Shakespeare’s time on, the exact idiom dates only from the first half of the 1800s
(12) take with a grain or pinch of salt.
Skeptically, with reservations
I always take Sandy’s stories about illnesses with a grain of salt—she tends to exaggerate.
This expression is a translation of the Latin cum grano salis, which Pliny used in describing Pompey’s discovery of an antidote for poison (to be taken with a grain of salt). It was soon adopted by English writers.
2001
(i) The teaming meanings
The teaming meanings ::: Present a number of meanings
example : During the lecture, the professor gave the teeming meanings on the topic.
(ii) To kick the bucket
When someone kicks the bucket, they die
(iii) To push to the walls
To place in a desperate or extreme position
(iv) To read between the lines
If you read between the lines, you find the real message in what you’re reading or hearing, a meaning that is not available from a literal interpretation of the words.
(v) To be at daggers drawn
If people are at daggers drawn, they are very angry and close to violence.
(vi) To throw down the gauntlet
Declare or issue a challenge
The senator threw down the gauntlet on the abortion issue.
This expression alludes to the medieval practice of a knight throwing down his gauntlet, or metal glove, as a challenge to combat.
Its figurative use dates from the second half of the 1700s, as does the less frequently heard take up the gauntlet, for accepting a challenge.
(vii) To be a Greek / it’s all Greek to me
It is beyond my comprehension
This new computer program is all Greek to me.
This expression was coined by Shakespeare, who used it literally in Julius Caesar (1:2), where Casca says of a speech by Seneca, deliberately given in Greek so that some would not understand it:
“For mine own part, it was Greek to me.”
It soon was transferred to anything unintelligible.
(viii) To stand on ceremony
Stand on ceremony, to behave in a formal or ceremonious manner.
(ix) From the horse’s mouth
If you hear something from the horse’s mouth, you hear it directly from the person concerned or responsible.
To carry the cross
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