to take one's lumps
2
8.1
- idiom
- Informal
:
aceptar las consecuencias
- After failing the exam, he had to take his lumps and accept the consequences of not studying.
Examples
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At FIU, Cristobal took his lumps initially, taking over Don Strock's winless club in 2006 and adding just seven more wins in his first three years manning the sidelines.
Blog text (19) -
Oh, well, I guess I was gonna have to take my lumps sooner or later.
-
Is the culture of silence, this idea that professionalism means to be quiet and take one's lumps, good for authors and readers?
Blog text (21) -
Newton has taken his lumps this year, some deservedly, some inflated by media members lacking stories.
Blog text (16) -
Freddy took his lumps.
Blog text (26) -
If you just suddenly give him nothing, I guarantee you, the guy is going to go berserk, unless he's just not interested, in which case, you just got to take your lumps, which is tough, but...
-
IMO, if CK is Harbaugh's guy, he gets a year to take his lumps and gets judged in his second year.
Blog text (26) -
"I can't wait to see what comes next, since apparently Romney always has to win the argument; he seems incapable of just taking his lumps and letting the controversy die down.
Blog text (30) -
All the way back in January, in a conversation with one of the Orioles writers at Fanfest, I mentioned that Gregg was obviously not much liked by the fans, and I was told that reporters, at least, appreciate that he will take his lumps and give out quotes after a bad game.
Blog text (12) -
When he made that wrong decision at work, he knew he would have to take his lumps afterward.
Synonyms
81
8.8
Accept a difficult situation and continue without complaining
19
4.5
Accept and deal with unpleasant results or criticism for something you did
9
7.7
Accept the bad result of something you did
7
8.2
Accept failure or criticism bravely without complaining
5
6.8
To accept an unpleasant situation without complaining
5
6.1
Accept punishment or a bad result without complaining
3
8.8
Accept something unpleasant without complaining
1
8.9
Face the bad results of your actions after enjoying something
1
8.1
To accept the cost or bad result of something
To accept the bad results of your own choices
To be punished for something you did wrong
To accept something unpleasant during talks to avoid bigger problems
Antonyms
How Accepting
- Informal
5
6.8
- Informal
2
8.1
793
1.0
∞
1.0
∞
1.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
take + one's + lumps
The verb 'take' (accept) is transparent, but 'lumps' in this expression has a metaphorical sense of blows, hardships, or punishment that is not the literal meaning of a small mass. Because the overall meaning is a metaphorical extension (accept/endure unpleasant consequences) rather than directly compositional, a B1 learner who knows the words might only partially infer it and would likely need prior exposure to be certain.
Etymology
Take one's lumps may come from the picture of someone in a fight who gets bumps or soft knots — lumps — on their body; to take those lumps is to accept the hits and the pain, so the phrase means 'to accept punishment or bad results'.