the phrase get the chair1. (coll.) be electrocuted: He could … get you off, maybe with life or twenty years, while this way you’re likely to get the chair , sure. 2. = take the chair 2: A few years later, I got the chair of Zoology at Lund University, and Eric got a permanent position soon after. take a count • take the count take a count—estimate how many there are of smth.: By taking a count we established that catering units were covering their seats 250 per cent at lunch time. take the count—1. = take a count: Deborah took the count of members who plan to attend and asked them to refer to her any special needs. 2. (Boxing ) be knocked out: “I nearly took the count that time, old fellow,” he said. 3. be overcome or defeated: He took the count , having picked an election fight with the Prime Minister on the latter’s home ground. Note: Neither expression fully correlates in meaning with the phrase take count1. = take a count: The U.S. Census Bureau took count of how many grandparents are raising grandchil- dren. 2. pay attention to smth.; take smth. into consideration: The model takes count of the thermodynamical characteristics of the sea surface. take a dive • take a nose-dive take a dive—1. (of a plane) make a sudden precipitate de- scent: The plane took a dive and disappeared underneath a mushroom-shaped cloud. 2. go into a rapid decline: By 10:30 the company’s stock had taken a dive from more than $110 dollars a share to just over $40. 3. (Boxing ) fake being knocked out in a match: He took a dive in the second round and made everyone suspicious. 4. (U.S. Underworld) get arrested (also: take a fall): I didn’t want to take a dive , but the cop left me no choice. take a nose-dive1. = take a dive 1: The small plane took a nose dive . The pilot was able to bring it out at the last minute, so the plane didn’t crash. 2. = take a dive 2: After a really splendid first week, the Festival took a nosedive from which it never recovered. take a fall • take the fall take a fall—1. lose one’s balance and drop to the ground: When I took a fall and hurt my arm, Michele called me at home to see how I was. 2. (U.S. Underworld) be arrested (also: take a dive): Jack had taken a fall on a safe job and was in the Bronx County jail awaiting trial. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase take a drop1. (of stocks, temperature, etc.) lose value; decrease: There is no guarantee that the account might not be worth less than your original investment if the market has taken a drop . 2. (coll.) have a drink: All theatrical people, and even the great Edmund Kean, used to take a drop before com- mencing performance. Cf.: take a drop too much—(coll.) be rather drunk: If Henry took a drop too much he had always the melancholy satisfaction of knowing that he was driven to it. take the fall—(coll.) take the blame for another person; become a scapegoat: Bob will take the fall for the director— he’d do anything to save his boss. take a fancy to someone • take the fancy of someone take a fancy to someone—become fond of a person: What could have made Miss Crowther take such a fancy to the boy? take the fancy of someone—appeal to a person; win smb.’s favor: She became very active in the church group and soon took the fancy of Jeffrey Lundgren. take a flight • take flight take a flight—make a journey by air: She had to drive home alone, while he took a shuttle flight in the opposite direction. take flight—(also: take to flight) 1. run away (from danger, etc.): Fear and panic gripped people and many took flight into fields and woods at the air-raid warning. 2. (of birds) rise into the air; start flying (also: take wing ): The larger ground- feeding birds seldom take flight except to escape danger. take a good part of something • take something in good part take a good part of something—(of an activity) extend over much of the period: We went to the art gallery and explored it thoroughly, which took a good part of the day. take something in good part—show that one is not offended; accept smth. good-naturedly: We had a good laugh at her expense, poor girl, but she took it in good part . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase in good partto a great extent; largely: There are lim- itations in this report, in good part because the study was forced to rely on the limited data. take a hand at something • take a hand in something take a hand at something—participate in a single round of a card game: We have a room where we can take a hand at whist. take a hand in something—participate or be involved in smth.: We had almost got the plan worked out when the man- ager decided to take a hand in it. take a leave • take leave • take one’s leave take a leave —(also: take a leave of absence) take a holiday: I took a leave without pay because I was, of course, being paid by the Colonial Office to go there. take leave —1. part (from a person) with some expression of farewell: Before he went abroad, he took leave of all his asso- ciates. 2. (formal) dare to do smth. without the permission or suggestion of another person: There is still one point more I must take leave to mention. take one’s leave—1. go away; depart: A terror seizing me lest this might be a preliminary to another fit of hysterics, I imme- diately took my leave . 2. = take leave 1: Gentle reader, having taken my leave of Mr. Slick, it is now fit I should take my leave of you. take a liberty • take the liberty take a liberty —(also: take liberties) 1. be unduly or improp- erly familiar with a person: He would be a bold man who ven- tured to take a liberty with her, or to overstep the limits laid down by her. 2. make free with smth. such as rules, facts, etc.: I’ll take a liberty with the phrase. To call this man a minister is to stretch the meaning of the words, but I’ll describe him as that. 3. dare to do smth. without the permission or sug- gestion of another person: I have taken a liberty to publish your article hoping that you would not be against it. take the liberty — = take a liberty 3: I have taken the liberty of switching off your car lights. take a long look • take a long view take a long look—(also: take a long, hard look) make a detailed and intense examination: Wisconsin residents should take a long look at what their so-called representatives are doing with their money. take a long view—consider events, etc. a long time ahead; have regard for the future: Kennedy called for Americans to take a long view when analyzing their current situation. take a place • take one’s place take a place —1. occupy a proper or natural place: The chem- ical element Germanium appears to take a place between anti- take a count – 312 –