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T |
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tag along |
To
follow the lead of another person, especially when going from one place to another.
– He said he was going to the post office, so I asked if
I could tag along.
[hinterherlaufen]
– Do you mind if I tag along?
[Darf ich mich anschließen?] |
|
take a back seat to |
To
occupy an inferior position.
– When it comes to quality, our products take a back
seat to no one. |
|
take a bath |
To
experience serious financial loss.
– We took a bath in the stock market in 1987. |
|
take a haircut |
To
lose a significant amount of money on an investment.
– He took a haircut on that stock. |
|
take a joke |
To
accept ridicule with a smile; to be the object of a joke with good nature.
– Don’t be upset. Can’t you take a joke? (often said to Someone when they have been insulted by a statement which
was not intended as serious) |
|
take a look at |
To
turn your attention to; to examine.
– Take a look at this article and tell me what you
think. |
|
take a stand |
To
adopt a firm position about an issue.
– You have to take a stand on this. Neutrality is not
possible. |
|
take an interest in |
(1)
To be concerned about or curious about.
– She took an interest in poor children.
(2) To share in the ownership of a property or business.
– He plans to take an interest in the hotel. |
|
take apart |
(1)
To dismantle or disassemble.
– I plan to take apart my PC this afternoon and replace
the sound card.
(2) To analyze or critique (arguments, ideas, etc.).
– He skillfully took apart my main argument, and then I
could see my error. |
|
take aside |
To
talk to privately.
– Mr. Johnson took Helen aside and explained her
mistake. |
|
take back |
To
retract a statement.
– After this experience, I take back what I said about
you not being a team player. |
|
take by storm |
To
win popularity quickly and widely.
– This new game is taking the nation by storm. |
|
take care |
(1)
Be careful; use caution.
– Take care with that. It’s expensive.
(2) Good-bye.
– I’ll see you tomorrow. Take care.
Also: take care of yourself |
|
take care of |
To
see that something gets done; to assume responsibility for a task.
– I’ll take care of the plants while you are away. |
|
take charge |
To
take a role of responsibility; to assume control.
– I’ll take charge of organizing the dinner. |
|
take for granted |
To
consider as true or real.
– I take for granted that you’ll be there. |
|
take in |
(1)
To include.
– Does your plan take in everybody?
(2) To understand.
– His theory is too complex for me. I can’t take it
in.
(3) To absorb.
– There were too many things to see. I couldn’t
take it all in. |
|
take into account |
To
consider; to allow for.
– We have to take into account that some of the people
are in wheelchairs. |
|
take issue with |
To
disagree with.
– I take issue with your plan to monitor employees. |
|
take it |
To
endure something (pain, abuse, torture, …)
– I can’t take this smoke any more; I’m
leaving.
– I don’t mind her criticism; I can take it. |
|
take it easy |
Don’t
hurry; relax.
– Take it easy. We have lots of time left. |
|
take it from me |
Believe
me.
– Take it from me, he is a genius in these things. |
| take it or leave it |
To
accept or reject unconditionally.
This is our final offer. Take it or leave it. |
| take note |
Pay
attention.
– Take note. You must turn off the machine before you
open the housing.
Also: take notice |
| take notes |
To
write down one’s observations or what one hears.
– The visitors took notes during the factory tour. |
| take off |
(1)
To remove (clothing).
– Please take off your hat and coat.
(2) To deduct or decrease.
– We will be happy to take off 15% for you.
(3) To leave or move forward quickly.
– I got into my car and took off.
(4) To rise in flight.
– The plane will take off in one hour.
(5) To expand quickly (growth, popularity).
– Our sales took off in July.
(6) To stay away from work for some reason.
– I’m going to take off tomorrow. I’m having
my wisdom tooth removed. |
| take off after |
To
start chasing someone or something.
– I saw the man run away with my briefcase, so I took
off after him. |
| take offense |
To
be insulted.
– I took offense at the way you ignored my question in
the meeting. |
| take on |
To
challenge someone or face someone in a conflict or competition.
– Tomorrow the Chicago Bulls will take on the Boston
Celtics.
[sich auf eine Auseinandersetzung einlassen mit]
To take on a job or responsibility means to accept it
willingly as a challenge which you welcome.
– In addition to my normal duties, I have taken on a new
project.
[übernehmen; annehmen] |
| take over |
To
assume control, management or possession of something.
– Gene will take over the new department.
– Another company is trying to take us over.
takeover [noun] – the acquisition of a controlling interest in a company.
There are hostile takeovers and friendly takeovers. |
| take part |
To
participate.
– We want everybody to take part in the brainstorming
session. |
| take place |
To
happen; to occur.
– When did the accident take place? |
| take pride in |
To
be proud of.
– I take pride in my work. |
| take shape |
(1)
To develop and come into form.
– The new design is beginning to take shape.
Also: shape up |
| take sides |
To
show support for one party in a conflict or discussion.
– The monitor should not take sides in a debate. |
| take the bull by the horns |
To
address a very difficult problem directly.
– We’ve avoided this for too long. It’s time
to take the bull by the horns. |
| take the cake |
(1)
To be the best example of something.
– If you’re talking about leaders who lead by
example, Marvin takes the cake.
(2) To be the worst example of something.
– I have heard terrible music in my day, but that takes
the cake! |
| take the floor |
To
rise to speak formally to an audience.
– When she took the floor, everyone stopped talking.
have the floor – to have the right to speak; to be speaking.
– Excuse me, Senator, but I have the floor now. |
| take the hint |
To
recognize an indirect suggestion.
– Brian took the hint and stepped out of the room. |
| take to |
[idiom]
To become fond of doing something; to develop a pleasing habit.
– We took to the new video game immediately.
– John is taking to spending more time with his kids.
Also: take to … like a duck takes to water. |
| take turns |
To
alternate, especially in fairness.
– Each side will take turns speaking. |
| taken aback, be |
To
be surprised or shocked in a way that stops one briefly.
– I was taken aback by the undisguised anger in his
voice.
This expression refers to the way a sailing ship loses its
forward movement if a wind shift causes the sails to hang back against the masts. |
| talk one into |
To
persuade someone to do something that they at first don’t want to do.
– I didn’t really plan to stop for a drink after
work, but Harry talked me into it.
[überreden] |
| talk over |
To
discuss thoroughly.
– I’d like to talk over your ideas with you before
the meeting. |
| tear down |
(1)
To demolish (buildings) or disassemble (engines).
– They are going to tear down the old Rex Theater.
(2) To talk about people in a very negative way behind their backs.
– I don’t respect people who try to build
themselves up by tearing down other people.
(tear – tore – torn) |
| tell apart |
To
discern or distinguish.
– The two seem identical. I can’t tell them apart. |
| tell it like it is |
To
be honest and direct about a situation.
– I’m sorry the report is so negative, but I have
to tell it like it is. |
| that makes two of us |
We
are alike in what we think or what we want.
– I don’t like his style. – That makes two of
us.
– I could use a beer right now. – That makes two of us. |
| that’ll be the day |
I
don’t believe that will ever happen.
– He says he will delegate more authority, but
that’ll be the day! |
| that’s about the size of it |
That
sums up the situation; that’s how things are.
– Do you mean we have to move? – That’s about
the size of it. |
| think nothing of it |
It’s
not important; it was nothing big; you’re welcome.
– Thank you for your help. – Think nothing of it. |
| think positive |
Be
optimistic; concentrate on the good rather than on the bad.
– Yes, your car was stolen, but think positive. Now you
can get a new one. |
| think twice |
Reconsider
something; think very carefully about it.
– If I were you, I’d think twice before selling
that old car. |
| throw away |
(1)
To dispose of, to discard.
– This bread is old. Throw it away.
(2) To waste; to fail to take advantage of something.
– He is throwing away his career.
[weg-, hinauswerfen] |
| throw good money after bad |
To
waste more money trying to get back money lost before, especially in a bad investment or
gambling.
– I think you should give up on this business.
You’re just throwing good money after bad at this point. |
| throw in the towel |
To
give up; to acknowledge defeat.
– I can’t afford this anymore. I’m going to
throw in the towel.
Also: throw in the sponge
From boxing, where doing such a thing literally means you want the fight to stop. |
| throw someone a curve |
To
present someone an unexpectedly difficult situation or question.
– He threw me a curve with his question about
demographics. I was not expecting it.
Also: throw someone a curve ball
In baseball, it is possible to make the ball travel in a curved path, making it even more
difficult for the batter to hit it. Such a pitch is called a curve ball. |
| throw up |
(1)
To construct quickly.
– They threw up the houses in a few weeks.
(2) To vomit; to become ill.
– The way they treat each other makes me want to throw
up.
[brechen] |
| throw up one’s hands |
To
express complete hopelessness.
– After an hour of failing to convince the other person,
George threw up his hands and walked away.
[Arme in die Luft werfen] |
| tie the knot |
To
get married.
– Tom and Karen are tying the know on Saturday. |
| tied up |
(1)
Bound with string.
– Be sure the package is tied up well.
(2) Restricted in movement.
– I was tied up in traffic this morning.
(3) Busy or occupied with something.
– He is tied up in a meeting right now. |
| till hell freezes over |
Forever.
– He said he would continue with the law suit until hell
freezes over. |
| time flies |
Time
passes quickly.
– Time flies when you’re having fun.
This is also a well-known expression, often said ironically
in boring situations. |
| time is money |
One’s
time is important and valuable.
– You are ten minutes late. Time is money, you know. |
| time is ripe, the |
This
is a good time to do something.
– The time is ripe to open a new store. |
| time is up |
There
is no more time left to do something.
– All right, students, put down your pencils. Time is
up. |
| time of my life, the |
An
extremely enjoyable experience.
– I had the time of my life camping out last month. |
| time off |
A
break from work (usually several days or weeks).
– I need to take some time off soon. |
| time on one’s hands |
An
interval with nothing to do.
– The project is finished, so right now I have some time
on my hands. |
| time out, call a |
An
official interruption in a game.
– The coach called a time out so he could talk to his
players.
Also: take a time out
This expression can be used in any situation where a pause is needed.
– We’ve been working really hard. Let’s take a
time out. |
| tip of the iceberg |
The
beginning signs of a much larger problem.
– Decreasing orders is only the tip of the iceberg. |
| tire out |
See: wear
out (3) |
| too good to be true |
Unbelievably
good.
– The results of the market survey are too good to be
true.
This can be an expression of joy or scepticism. |
| too little, too late |
Not
good enough as a solution and also not in time.
– By the time they sold the division, they were nearing
bankruptcy. It was a case of too little, too late. |
| too many cooks spoil the broth |
Too
many people trying to be in charge will result in failure.
– They experimented with management by committee, but it
was just a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth.
[viele Köche verderben den Brei] |
| took the words right out of my mouth, you |
To
agree completely with what someone has just said.
– The problem is with marketing. – You took the
words right out of my mouth. |
| touch base with |
To
contact or establish communication with someone.
– I’ll touch base with you when I get back from my
trip.
– Be sure to touch base with me, John.
In baseball, a basic rule is that a runner must touch each
base as he advances toward home. Likewise in business, it is often important to contact
certain people at certain times in order to pass along information or to get approval or
advice.
touch all the bases – to contact everyone; to follow all the rules.
– If you want to get the support you need, you must touch all
the bases. |
| touch down |
To
land on the ground.
– Ladies and gentlemen, the plane will touch down in
fifteen minutes.
touchdown [noun] – a major success.
– We scored a touchdown with this latest product.
In American football, a touchdown is scored by carrying the ball across the goal line or
catching it in the end zone. It is worth six points. |
| touch wood |
See: knock
on wood |
| touch-and-go |
Extremely
uncertain or risky.
– We landed in a heavy storm with smoke coming from the
engine. It was really touch-and-go for a while. |
| tout |
To
describe something in positive terms in hopes that others will give their support.
– They touted their city as a good place to raise a
family. |
| train of thought |
A
series or sequence of connected thoughts; a path of reasoning.
– That interruption made me lose my train of thought. |
| tune in |
To
be aware or responsive to something or to someone.
– He is tuned in to the problems of the elderly. |
| tune out |
To
purposely ignore or disregard all or part of one’s environment.
– He is able to tune out when he has to concentrate.
– I just tune out his negative comments.
[ausblenden] |
| tune up |
To
adjust the working of a motor or engine.
– I need someone to tune up my car. |
| turn around |
To
reverse direction 180 degrees.
– He turned the business around in six months.
turnaround [noun] – a change from bad to good.
– These sales figures represent a complete turnaround
for our company. |
| turn down |
(1)
To reject (an offer, a proposal, a request, etc.).
– I’m afraid I have to turn down your request for
more people.
(2) To decrease (sound, light, heat, etc.).
– Would you please turn down your radio? |
| turn in |
(1)
To submit (a report, a test). st).
– To whom should I turn in this report?
(2) To go to bed.
– It’s very late and I’m tired. I think
I’ll turn in. |
| turn off |
(1)
To stop the flow of (electricity, water, etc.).
– Where do you turn off the lights?
(2) To affect (a person) negatively.
– People who smoke turn me off. |
| turn on |
(1)
To start the flow of (electricity, water, etc.).
– May I turn on the heater?
(2) To affect (a person) positively.
– A really difficult math problem turns him on.
(3) To affect (a person) sexually.
– Long blond hair turns him on.
(4) To suddenly attack.
– That dog has been known to turn on people. |
| turn out |
(1)
To shut off (lights).
– The last one to leave has to turn out the lights.
(2) To appear for an event; to show up
– Thousands of people turned out for the free concert.
3) To be considered (in the end).
– He turned out to be right after all.
(4) To produce or manufacture.
– They turn out 50,000 units per month. |
| turn over |
(1)
To invert, bringing the bottom to the top.
– Please turn over the page.
(2) To rotate or cycle.
– The engine will turn over but it will not start.
(3) To consider or think about.
– I plan to turn over the idea in my mind.
(4) To do busines, measured in dollars.
– We should turn over six million the first quarter.
(5) To transfer ownership.
– He turned over the company to his son. |
| turn up |
(1)
To increase the flow of (sound, light, heat, etc.).
– Would you turn up the volume on the stereo?
(2) To appear or arrive.
– How many people turned up for the party?
(3) To be found (after being lost).
– Your keys will turn up eventually. |
| two strikes against |
To
have strong factors or arguments that are not in your favor.
– Peter has two strikes against him, so John will
probably get the job.
In baseball, if a batter fails to hit the ball in three tries, he strikes out; that
is, he fails. Before that, if he fails two times to hit the ball, we say he has two
strikes, or two strikes against him. In other words, one more bad thing and he fails.
You can use this expression for any situation where a person (or a plan, etc.) must avoid
one more bad thing if he expects to be successful. |
| U |
|
| under someone’s wing |
Guided
or protected by someone.
– Mr. Moore took me under his wing when I joined the
company. |
| under the gun |
Under
pressure to perform work before a deadline.
– We are under the gun to get this finished before
Tuesday. |
| under the impression |
|
