Lesson 27

Take on... take down… fall through… fall behind… give in… give off… give out… have it in for… have it out with… hold off… hold out…. hold over…
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To take on: to employ, to hire (S), to accept responsibility for, to undertake
Ø That factory is taking a lot of new employees on for its new production line.
Ø Would you be willing to take on the task of organizing the next company picnic?
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To take down: to remove from an elevated place (S), to write what is said, to note
Ø We should take the pictures down from the wall and clean off the dust
Ø The secretary took down everything that was said at the meeting.
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To fall through: to fail to materialize, not to succeed
This idiom is usually used with the noun plan or plans as the subject.
Ø Our plan to travel to Europe last summer fell through when we were unable to save up enough money.
Ø Felix made plans to have a party for everyone in his office, but they fell through at the last moment.
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To fall behind: to lag, to fail to keep up (also: to get behind)
Ø Eve fell behind in her studies and finally had to drop out of school.
Ø If you get behind in you car payments, the finance company may repossess it from you.
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To give in: to surrender, to stop resisting
Ø Completely surrounded by our soldiers, the enemy finally gave in.
Ø Management gave in to the strikers’ demands and agreed to a shortened work week.
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To give off: to release, to produce,
Ø When water boils, it gives off steam.
Ø The flowers in this garden give off a strange odor.
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To give out: to distribute, to become exhausted or depleted (also: to run out)
The first definition has the same meaning as the second definition of to pass out
in lesson 19.
Ø An usher stood at the door of the theater giving out programs.
Ø I couldn’t finish the ten-mile race because my energy gave out.
Ø Jeff plans to stay in Las Vegas and gamble until his money runs out.
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To have it in for: to want revenge on, to feel hostile towards (also: to hold a grudge against)
Ø Martina expects to lose her job because her boss has had it in for her for a long time.
Ø The teacher has held a grudge against Al ever since the time that he insulted her in front of the class.
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To have it out with: to quarrel with, to confront
Ø I am going to have it out with Jack about all the times that he has told us lies.
Ø Ben had it out with his roommate about coming back home so late and making a lot of noise.
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To hold off: to delay, or to be delayed, in occurring (S)
This idiom has the same meaning as to put off in Lesson 5 when a noun or pronoun is used as an object, as in the second example.
Ø If the rain holds off for a few more days, they can finish planting the rest of the crop.
Ø The judge agreed to hold off making a decision until new evidence could be introduced into court.
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To hold out: to endure, to be sufficient, to survive by resisting, to persist in one’s efforts
The first definition for to hold out has the opposite meaning of the second definition for to give out (seventh idiom, this lesson)
Ø If our supply of food and water holds out, we plan to camp here for another week. However, whenever it gives out, we’ll have to leave.
Ø That nation’s troops cannot hold out much longer against the superior forces of the enemy.
Ø The valuable football player held out for more money before signing a new contract with his team.
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To hold over: to extend, to keep for a longer time (S)
Ø They are going to hold over that movie for another week because so many people are coming to see it.
Ø Let’s hold discussion of this problem over until our next meeting.
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E X E R C I S E S
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Choose the appropriate idiomatic expression to substitute for the italicized word or words in each sentence below. Idioms from previous lessons are indicated by number.
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1. The traveling circus was so popular in our city that it was kept for a longer time.
a. held out
b. held off
c. held over
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2. Please put the trash outside, it’s producing a terrible smell in here.
a. giving off
b. giving out
c. giving in
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3. I’m really sorry that your plans to travel to New Zealand failed to materialize.
a. fell behind
b. fell through
c. did without (lesson 18)
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4. Would Mary be wiling to undertake a new project even though she’s overloaded
with work?
a. to take down
b. to take on
c. to take up with (lesson 15)
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5. Please don’t reveal that you have knowledge of that secret contractual
agreement.
a. take down
b. give in
c. let on (lesson 25)
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6. The campers lost on the high mountain were able to survive against the cold
weather by building a fire and keeping together.
a. to hold still (lesson 20)
b. to hold out
c. to put out (lesson 6)
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7. I can’t attend class tonight, so would you mind writing notes on what the
instructor says?
a. running out
b. taking down
c. pointing out (lesson 7)
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8. The committee delayed in deciding when to have the next board election.
a. held off
b. fell behind
c. called off (lesson 5)
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9. My boss hasn’t spoken to me in a week. I wonder if he feels hostile towards me
because of our conflicting views of the labor negotiations.
a. has it in for
b. has it out with
c. holds out
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10. The rescue team was successful in reaching the group of miners trapped deep
in the earth before their small supply of air became exhausted.
a. fell behind
b. burned out (lesson 12)
c. gave out
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Answer these questions orally by making use of the idiomatic expressions studied in this lesson.
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1. What responsibilities do parents take on when they decide to have children?
2. Why is it advisable to take down what is said during important discussions or talks?
3. When was the last time that an event or plan fell through for you?
4. Do you usually fall behind in your work, or do you usually keep up with it? Why?
5. When you have it out with a friend, do you usually stick to your opinion or do you often give in? Why?
6. What are the possible dangers of the pollution that factories give off?
7. When you exercise heavily, does your energy quickly give out? Why or why not?
8. Have you ever had it in for someone? How did you feel, or what did you do?
9. When you have it out with someone, do you usually show your emotions clearly, or do you stay calm and control them?
10. How long can a human being hold out without food? Without water?