Idioms Beginning with t

• take a back seat

  To become lower priority or less important; to let someone else take charge.
  Mary reluctantly took a back seat when Mary took over the company.

• take a breather

  To take a short break; to pause and relax briefly.
  I'm tired. Let's take a breather.

• take a chance

  To risk something.
  Max doesn't like to take chances. He always plays it safe.

• take a crack at

  To attempt or try.
  I'm not sure if I can do it, but I'll take a crack at it.

• take a spill

  To fall or trip: to experience a sudden drop.
  Max took a spill while riding his bike. He banged his head.

• take the heat

  To endure the consequences, blame, anger, or scrutiny;
  Mary took the heat for Max's mistake.

• tall tale

  A greatly exaggerated story.
  Miguel is notorious for his tall tales about his military service. He was just a driver but now claims to have been James Bond.

• that's the way the cookie crumbles

  That’s just how things happen, even if it’s disappointing.
  We tried our best but still lost the game. That’s the way the cookie crumbles.

• the pits

  A miserable or unpleasant situation.
  The people in the office are awful. Working with them every day is the pits.

• think twice

  To reconsider something; to consider something carefully before proceeding.
  Think twice before you get married.

• through the roof

  Suddenly and excessively high.
  Housing prices have gone through the roof in Southern California.

• throw caution to the wind

  To act recklessly or take a big risk.
  He threw caution to the wind and invested all his savings in the startup.

• throw in the towel

  To give up or admit defeat.
  After years of trying to fix the old car, Max finally threw in the towel and bought a new one.

• throw someone under the bus

  To betray or sacrifice someone, usually for personal gain.
  He threw his coworker under the bus to avoid getting blamed for the mistake.

• throw your weight around

  To use your power or influence in an aggressive way.
  The new manager loves to throw his weight around and make unnecessary rules.

• tie the knot

  To get married.
  Max and Mary tied the knot more than ten years ago.

• to each his own

  Everyone is entitled to personal preferences.
  I wouldn't paint my car that color but to each his own.

• tongue-tied

  Unable to say anything.
  Every time Max sees Jane, he gets tongue-tied and just sits there and stares.