Tables are turned
When the tables are turned, the situation has changed giving the advantage to the party who had previously been at a disadvantage.
Tackle an issue
If you tackle an issue or problem, you resolve or deal with it.
Take a back seat
If you take a back seat to something or someone, you are surbordinate.
Take a hike
This is a way of telling someone to get out.
Take a leaf out of someone's book
If you take a leaf out of someone's book, you copy something they do because it will help you.
Take a nosedive
When things take a nosedive, they decline very quickly and head towards disaster.
Take a punch
If somebody takes a blow, something bad happens to them.
Take a raincheck
If you take a rain check, you decline an offer now, suggesting you will accept it later. ('Raincheck' is also used.)
Take a shine to
If you take a shine to something or someone, you like it or them instantly.
Take a straw poll
If you take a straw poll, you sound a number of people out to see their opinions on an issue or topic.
Take aback
If you are taken aback, it means that you're surprised or shocked by something.
Take by storm
To take by storm means to captivate- eg. A new play that took New York City by storm.
Take by the scruff of the neck
If you take something by the scruff on the neck, you take complete control of it.
Take for a test drive
If you take something for a test driver, you try something to see if you like it.
Take for granted
If you take something for granted, you don't worry or think about it because you assume you will always have it.  If you take someone for granted, you don't show your appreciation to them.
Take forty winks
If you take 40 winks, you have a short sleep.
Take guts
If something takes guts, it requires courage in the face of danger or great risk. It takes guts for firemen to enter a burning building to save someone.
Take it in your stride
If you take something in your stride, you deal with it even though it is difficult or unpleasant without letting it bother or upset you.
Take it on the chin
If you take something on the chin, something bad happens to you and you take it directly without fuss.
Take it up a notch
If you take it up a notch, you increase the effort or intensity exerted in a situation
Take no prisoners
If people take no prisoners, they do things in a very aggressive way, without considering any harm they might do to achieve their objectives.
Take one for the team
To sacrifice oneself in some way for the good of the group.
Take sand to the beach
Doing something that is completely pointless or unnecessary is like taking sand to the beach.
Take someone down a peg
If someone is taken down a peg (or taken down a peg or two), they lose status in the eyes of others because of something they have done wrong or badly.
Take someone for a ride
If you are taken for a ride, you are deceived by someone.
Take someone to task
If you take someone to task, you scold them for something they have done wrong.
Take someone to the cleaners
If someone is taken to the cleaners, they are cheated, defrauded or lose a lot of money.
Take someone to the woodshed
If someone is taken to the woodshed, they are punished for something they have done.
Take someone under your wing
If you take someone under your wing, you look after them while they are learning something.  
Take stock
To assess a situation, to conduct a personal inventory of ones beliefs and values, etc.
Take the biscuit
(UK) If something takes the biscuit, it is the absolute limit.
Take the bull by its horns
Taking a bull by its horns would be the most direct but also the most dangerous way to try to compete with such an animal. When we use the phrase in everyday talk, we mean that the person we are talking about tackles their problems directly and is not worried about any risks involved.
Take the cake
If something takes the cake, it is the best and takes the honours.
Take the chair
If you take the chair, your become the chairman or chairwoman of a committee, etc.
Take the edge off
To reduce the effect of something, usually something unpleasant.
Take the fall
If you tall the fall, you accept the blame and possibly the punishment for another's wrongdoing, with the implication that the true culprit, for political or other reasons, cannot be exposed as guilty (accompanied by a public suspicion that a reward of some sort may follow).
Take the fifth
(USA) If you do not want to answer a question you can take the fifth, meaning you are choosing not to answer.  ('Plead the fifth' is also used.)
Take the flak
If you take the flak, you are strongly criticised for something.('Take flak' is also used.)
Take the floor
Start talking or giving a speech to a group
Take the heat
If you take the heat, you take the criticism or blame for something you didn't do, normally to protect the guilty person.
Take the Mickey
(UK) If you take the Mickey, you tease someone. ('Take the Mick' is also used.)
Take the plunge
If you take the plunge, you decide to do something or commit yourself even though you know there is an element of risk involved.
Take the rough with the smooth
People say that you have to take the rough with the smooth, meaning that you have to be prepared to accept the disadvantages as well of the advantages of something.
Take to your heels
If you take to your heels, you run away.
Take up the reins
(UK) If you take up the reins, you assume control of something- an organisation, company, country, etc.('Take over the reins' is also used.)
Take up the torch
If you take up the torch, you take on a challenge or responsibility, usually when someone else retires, or leaves an organisation, etc.
Take your breath away
If something takes your breath away, it astonishes or surprises you.
Take your eye off the ball
If someone takes their eye off the ball, they don't concentrate on something important that they should be looking at.
Take your hat off
If you say that you take your hat off to someone, you are showing your respect or admiration.
Take your hat off to somebody
If you take your hat off to someone, you acknowledge that they have done something exceptional or otherwise deserve your respect.

Take your medicine
If you take your medicine, you accept the consequences of something you have done wrong.
Taken as read
If something can be taken as read, it is so definite that it's not necessary to talk about it.
Tale of the tape
This idiom is used when comparing things, especially in sports; it comes from boxing where the fighters would be measured with a tape measure before a fight.
Talk a blue streak
(USA) If someone talks a blue streak, they speak quickly and at length. ('Talk up a blue streak' is also used.)
Talk a glass eye to sleep
Someone who could talk a glass eye to sleep is very boring and repetitive.
Talk is cheap
It's easy to talk about something but harder to actually do it.
Talk nineteen to the dozen
If someone talks very quickly, they talk nineteen to the dozen.
Talk of the town
When everybody is talking about particular people and events, they are he talk of the town.
Talk out of the back of your head
If someone is talking out of the back of their head, they are talking rubbish.
Talk out of your hat
If someone is talking out of their hat, they're talking utter rubbish, especially if compounded with total ignorance of the subject on which they are pontificating. ('Talk through your hat' is also used.)
Talk shop
If you talk shop, you talk about work matters, especially if you do this outside work.
Talk the hind legs off a donkey
A person who is excessively or extremely talkative can talk the hind legs off a donkey.
Talk the legs off an iron pot
(AU) Somebody who is excessively talkative or is especially convincing is said to talk the legs off an iron pot. ('Talk the legs off an iron chair' is also used)
Talk turkey
When people talk turkey, they discuss something frankly.
Talk your arm off
Someone who talks so much that it is a strain to listen can talk your arm off.
Talking to a brick wall
If you talk to someone and they do not listen to you, it is like talking to a brick wall.
Tall drink of water
Someone who is very tall and slender is a tall drink of water. ('A tall glass of water' is also used.)
Tall enough to hunt geese with a rake
(USA) A person who's much taller than a person of average height.
Tall order
Something that is likely to be hard to achieve or fulfil is a tall order.
Tall story
A tall story is one that is untrue and unbelievable.
Tally ho!
(UK) This is an exclamation used for encouragement before doing something difficult or dangerous.
Tar baby
A tar baby is a problem that gets worse when people try to sort it out.
Tar with the same brush
If people are tarred with the same brush, they are said to have the same set of attributes or faults as someone they are associated with.
Taste blood
If someone has tasted blood, they have achieved something and are encouraged to think that victory is within their grasp.
Taste of your own medicine
If you give someone a taste of their own medicine, you do something bad to someone that they have done to you to teach them a lesson.
Teach your grandmother to suck eggs
When people say 'don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs', they mean that people shouldn't try to teach someone who has experience or is an expert in that area.
Teacher's pet
The teacher's favorite pupil is the teacher's pet, especially if disliked by the other pupils.
Tear your hair out
If someone is tearing their hair out, they are extremely worried or agitated about something.
Tears before bedtime
(UK) This idiom is used when something seems certain to go wrong or cause trouble.
Teeny-weeny
If something is teensy-weensy, it is very small indeed.('Teeny-weeny' and 'teensie-weensie' are also used.)
Teething problems
(UK) The problems that a project has when it is starting are the teething problems.
Tell it to the marines
People use this expression when they don't believe someone.
Tell them where the dog died
(USA) If you tell them where the dog died, you strongly and sharply correct someone.
Tempest in a teapot
If people exaggerate the seriousness of a situation or problem, they are making a tempest in a teapot.
Tempt fate
If you tempt fate, you do something where there is a high risk of failure.  It can also be used when talking about something could make it risky.
Tempt providence
If you tempt providence, you take a risk that may well have unpleasant consequences. ('Tempt fate' is also used.)
Ten a penny
(UK) If something is ten a penny, it is very common. ("Two a penny" is also used.)
Test the waters
If you test the waters, or test the water, you experiment to see how successful or acceptable something is before implementing it.
That and 50 cents will buy you a cup of coffee
(USA) This is used to describe something that is deemed worthless. "He's got a Ph.D. in Philosophy." "So? That and 50 cents will buy you a cup of coffee."
That dog won't hunt
(USA) Very common Southern US expression meaning: What you say makes no sense.
That is the way the cookie crumbles
"That's the way the cookie crumbles" means that things don't always turn out the way we want.
That makes two of us
A speaker says "that makes two of us" to indicate agreement with what another speaker just said. For example, I can say, "I wish I would win the lottery." A listener who says "That makes two of us" is indicating the he or she wants to win the lottery, too.
That ship has sailed
A particular opportunity has passed you by when that ship has sailed.
That's all she wrote
(USA) This idiom is used to show that something has ended and there is nothing more to say about something.
The apple does not fall far from the tree
Offspring grow up to be like their parents.
The ayes have it
If the ayes have it, those who voted in favour of something have won.
The ball's in your court
If somebody says this to you, they mean that it's up to you to decide or take the next step.
The be all and end all
The phrase 'The be all and end all' means that a something is the final, or ultimate outcome or result of a situation or event.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall
This idiom means that the more powerful have more to lose, so when they suffer something bad, it is worse for them.
The cat's meow
If something is the cat's meow, it's excellent.
The common weal
If something is done for the common weal, it is done in the interests and for the benefit of the majority or the general public.
The grass is always greener
This idiom means that what other people have or do looks preferable to our life. The complete phrase is 'The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence'.
The line forms on the right
Something's meaning is becoming clear when the line forms on the right.
The long and short
The long and short  of something is the substance, the most important part or  the gist.('The long and the short' is also  used.)
The more the merrier
The more the merrier means that the greater the quantity or the bigger the number of something, the happier the speaker will be.
The Mountie always gets his man
(Canada) The Mounties are the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and they have a reputation for catching criminals they are after.
The penny dropped
When the penny drops, someone belatedly understands something that everyone else has long since understood.
The plot thickens
When the plot thickens, a situation become more complicated and difficult.
The rough and tumble
The rough and tumble refers to areas of life like business, sports, politics, etc, where competition is hard and people will take any advantage that they can.
The sands of time
The sands of time is an idiom meaning that time runs out either through something reaching an end or through a person's death. It comes from the sand used in hourglasses, an ancient way of measuring time.
The shoemaker's son always goes barefoot
A skilled or knowledgeable person often fails to use their skills for the benefit of their family and people close to them.
The short straw
If you take the short straw, you lose a selection process, which means that you have to do something unpleasant.
The sun might rise in the west
When people say this, they mean that they don't expect something to happen.
The whole shooting match
Everything, the entire object, or all the related parts.
The world and his wife
If the world and his wife were somewhere, then huge numbers of people were present.
Their bark is worse than their bite
If someone's bark is worse than their bite, they get angry and shout and make threats, but don't actually do anything.
There are many ways to skin a cat
This is an expression meaning there are many different ways of doing the same thing.
There but for the grace of God go I
People say this when someone is suffering and they feel that they were lucky not to  have had a similar fate.
There goes the neighbourhood
This is an exclamation after a negative change affects someone's neighbourhood, such as someone undesireable moving in.
There's a dead cat on the line
This used as a way of telling people that something suspicious is happening.
There's never a road without a turning
No situation in life stays the same forever.
There's no "I" in "Team"
Individual achievement is not superior to the good/results of the team.
There's no accounting for taste
You cannot explain people's preferences and likes or dislikes.
There's no fool like an old fool
When an older person behaves foolishly, it seems worse than when a younger person does the same, especially in relationships, as an older person should  kknow better.
There's no such thing as a free lunch
This idiom means that you don't get things for free, so if something appears to be free, there's a catch and you'll have to pay in some way.
There's the rub
The meaning of this idiom is 'that's the problem'.
Thick and fast
If things are happening thick and fast, they are happening so fast they seemed to be joined together.
Thick as mince
(UK) If someone is as thick as mince, they are very stupid indeed.
Thick as thieves
If people are thick as thieves, they are very close friends who have no secrets from each other.
Thick-skinned
If a person is thick-skinned, they are not affected by criticism.
Thin as a rake
A rake is a garden tool with a long, thin, wooden handle, so someone very thin is thin as a rake.
Thin blue line
(UK) The thin blue line is a term for the police, suggesting that they stand between an ordered society and potential chaos. (Police uniforms are blue.)
Thin end of the wedge
The thin end of the wedge is something small and seemingly unimportant that will lead to something much bigger and more serious.
Thin line
If there's a thin line between things, it's hard to distinguish them- there's a thin line between love and hate.
Thin-skinned
If somebody is thin-skinned, they are very sensitive to any sort of criticism.
Think outside the box
If you think outside the box, you think in an imaginative and creative way.
Think the world of
To hold something or someone in very high esteem. To love or admire immensely.
Third degree
If someone is given the third degree, they are put under a great deal of pressure and intimidation to force them to tell the truth about something.
Third rail
The third rail of something is dangerous to alter or change. Originally, the third rail is the one carrying the electricity for a train.
Third time lucky
Third time lucky is used when someone has failed twice to do something- it is used for good luck to encourage them.
Third time's the charm
This is used when the third time one tries something, one achieves a successful outcome.
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