take five

Idioms and Phrases

Relax, take some time off from what one is doing, as in We've been at it long enough; let's take five . This term is short for “take five minutes off.” [ Slang ; first half of 1900s] For a synonym, see take a break .

Example Sentences

“Building a mine is going to take five to 10 years, and so far, the only ones in operation are ours, so we will wait and see how it plays out,” he said.

From BBC

Boki, a brown bear at Wildwood Trust near Canterbury, Kent, went under the knife on Wednesday in an operation that took five and a half hours - rather than the expected two and a half hours.

From BBC

Mexico’s new wastewater treatment plant is set to open this month, and there are plans to double the capacity of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant, although that project will take five years.

From Los Angeles Times

It can take five to ten thousand years for that ecosystem capital to build up and fill what we call the soil carbon vault that sustains the ecosystem.

From Salon

After making his maiden hundred in the first innings, Atkinson became only the third England player to score a century and take five wickets in a Test, and first since Lord Botham in 1984.

From BBC

Related Words

• breathe
• lean
• lie down
• relax
• sit down
• stretch out