take five

idiomatic phrase

variants or take ten
US, informal
: to take a brief break (as from work)
They're locked in a fierce debate over the last scene of their film … when camp director and Hollywood veteran Sam Dalton finally orders them to take five.Megan Myers
Parry Aftab, the executive director of WiredSafety.org, offers these tips for dealing with troubling messages. … Take five. Instead of replying to a message that upsets you, step away and do something you enjoy for five minutes.Nicole Iorio
I could see his anger had nearly boiled over. … Coach Colby, who ran the defense, was the brave soul who stepped in. "Take ten," he said, placing a hand on Orlando's chest. "Cool off. Then suit up and meet at the fifty-yard line. Got it?"Brandon Terrell

Examples of take five in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Capital of Quantum campaign will take five years to fund. Forbes.com, 9 May 2025 The Last Dance, written and directed by Anselm Chan, also triumphed at this year’s awards, taking five prizes including best screenplay, best actress for Michelle Wai’s performance, best supporting actor for Chu Pak-hong, best original film score and best original film song. Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 27 Apr. 2025 High Voltage took five years to go gold in the United States in 1981, according to the RIAA, and hit quadruple-platinum in July 2024. Steve Knopper, Billboard, 21 Apr. 2025 The whole thing takes five hours, sometimes longer. Janeé Bolden, HollywoodReporter, 6 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for take five

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of take five was in 1916

Cite this Entry

“Take five.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20five. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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