take down
take down
1. verb To move someone or something down from a higher position to a lower one. A noun or pronoun can be used between "take" and "down." Take your sister down from the table this instant! He took down the bottle and poured a glass for everyone at the table.
2. verb To dismantle or disassemble a large object or structure. A noun or pronoun can be used between "take" and "down." After the concert, we'll need everyone on hand to help take down the set. They're taking the statue down today.
3. verb To ruin, sabotage, or destroy someone or something or their chances for success. A noun or pronoun can be used between "take" and "down." A number of organizations have been trying to take the senator down for his ties to the gun lobby. The advertisement was supposed to take down the company's competitors, but it backfired and ended up hurting their own sales.
4. noun An attempt to ruin, sabotage, or destroy someone or something or their chances for success. As a noun, the phrase is usually hyphenated. The ad campaign was intended to be a take-down of the tobacco industry.
5. noun A highly negative critique of someone or something that is particularly thorough and effective. As a noun, the phrase is usually hyphenated. The late night host's take-down of the candidate's debate performance was more thorough than some of the serious political shows.
See also: down, take
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
take someone or something down
to move someone or something to a lower position or level. The boss is downstairs and wants to meet our visitor. Will you take her down? The way down to the lobby is confusing. Let me take down our visitor. Let me take the sandwiches down.
See also: down, take
take something down
1. to take some large or complicated things apart. They plan to take all these buildings down and turn the land into a park. Do they plan to take down the television broadcasting tower?
2. to write something down in something. Please take these figures down in your notebook. Take down these figures in your record of this meeting.
See also: down, take
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
take down
1. Bring from a higher position to a lower one, as in After the sale they took down all the signs. [c. 1300]
2. Take apart, dismantle, as in They took down the scaffolding. [Mid-1500s]
3. Humble or humiliate; see take down a notch.
4. Record in writing, as in Please take down all these price quotations. [Early 1700s]
See also: down, take
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
take down
v.
1. To bring something to a lower position from a higher one: Take the book down from the shelf. The store took down all the signs after the sale ended.
2. To dismantle something that is standing: In the morning, we took down the tents and put them in our backpacks. The workers took the Halloween display down and put up one for Thanksgiving.
3. To lower someone's arrogance or self-esteem: The opposing team really took him down during the final game. They were so good that they took down each member of our debate team.
4. To write something one has heard or observed: I took down every word they said so I could review the conversation later. The stenographer took the speech down and transcribed it.
See also: down, take
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
- bear down
- ask down
- call down
- clean down
- chow down
- chow something down
- clunk
- clunk down
- brush down
- button down