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
Sanders took five sacks before being removed from the game ahead of Cleveland’s final series.
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
Repairs will take five to eight hours once the water is turned off.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 17 Nov. 2025
Once water is turned off, the repair work will take five to eight hours.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
The Amtrak ride between Detroit and Chicago takes five hours, and New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama, takes four—each perhaps more appealing than getting to the airport at least an hour ahead of your flight, which may well be delayed anyway.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 15 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take five
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Zac Jackson, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
Repairs will take five to eight hours once the water is turned off.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 17 Nov. 2025
Once water is turned off, the repair work will take five to eight hours.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
The Amtrak ride between Detroit and Chicago takes five hours, and New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama, takes four—each perhaps more appealing than getting to the airport at least an hour ahead of your flight, which may well be delayed anyway.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 15 Nov. 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 29 Nov. 2025.
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