to take one's ball and go home
2
9.3
- idiom
- Informal
:
llevarse la pelota y marcharse
- When things didn't go his way during the game, he decided to take his ball and go home.
Examples
-
We are right to demand more, and if they don't like doing more for less, they can take their ball and go home.
Blog text (14) -
If not, I'm taking my ball and going home.
Blog text (6) -
But if you must, take your ball and go home.
Blog text (1) -
You can take your ball and go home.
Blog text (22) -
Stop threatening to take your ball and go home.
Blog text (22) -
I politely informed him that I would be taking my ball and going home.
Blog text (14) -
Honestly, I don't think taking your ball and going home is the answer.
Blog text (10) -
You don't take your ball and go home, thinking that the issue is resolved.
Blog text (28) -
You're the kids who don't like the game, so they take their ball and go home.
Blog text (27) -
If they don't hire just who you want, then I guess—be a child, take your ball and go home.
Blog text (19)
Synonyms
632
3.5
Leave a person, place, or situation without taking part anymore
37
3.5
To leave a place suddenly to show you are angry or upset
12
7.7
Leave a place quickly, often in a rude way
1
9.9
To leave a place quickly because you do not want to be there
1
9.9
To leave a group or activity because you do not get your way
1
9.9
To behave in a childish sulky way after not getting what you want
Leave a meeting or project because you are upset
To walk out suddenly while showing anger
To leave a place quickly, often to avoid trouble
Antonyms
How Cooperative
Surface Forms
Morphology
take + one + ball + and + go + home
The phrase is built from fully transparent constituents (take + one's + ball + and + go + home) and the literal image of taking a ball and leaving readily maps onto the metaphorical meaning of withdrawing in protest. However, recognizing the idiomatic, often pejorative social use (i.e., quitting out of spite or childishness) requires pragmatic and cultural knowledge beyond simple word meanings, so the link is only partially predictable for a B1 learner.
Etymology
Take one's ball and go home comes from children who, when they were upset in a game, would pick up their ball and go home. So the phrase means 'to leave or quit a situation because you are angry or disappointed'.