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
Megan MyersParry 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
Nicole IorioI 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
Brandon TerrellExamples of take five in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
United did not say how much the stadium would cost or reveal a timeline for its completion, but architect Norman Foster said building work would take five years.
—James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025
At most, the process will take five minutes — a quarter of the time needed for a lethal injection.
—CBS News, 7 Mar. 2025
While factors like capacity and material can affect how quickly a kettle comes to a boil, in general, stovetop kettles take five to 10 minutes to heat water while electric kettles usually bring water to a boil in less than five minutes.
—Michelle Love, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2025
Related Articles The device can generate millions of different shades, Wilson told WWD, and took five years to perfect.
—James Manso, WWD, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take five
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James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025
At most, the process will take five minutes — a quarter of the time needed for a lethal injection.
—CBS News, 7 Mar. 2025
While factors like capacity and material can affect how quickly a kettle comes to a boil, in general, stovetop kettles take five to 10 minutes to heat water while electric kettles usually bring water to a boil in less than five minutes.
—Michelle Love, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2025
Related Articles The device can generate millions of different shades, Wilson told WWD, and took five years to perfect.
—James Manso, WWD, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take five
Cite this Entry
“Take five.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20five. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
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