to take its toll
37
4.5
- phrasal verb
- The stress of her job has taken its toll on her health.
- time takes its toll
- war takes its toll
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Watch on YouTubeAll the violence around them had taken its toll.
- All the violence around them had taken its toll.
- Alas, it looks as though the great equalizer has taken its toll as everyone in the household appears to have died.
- It is enough for anyone listening to know that you've just been in real heavy duty scenarios that it's going to take its toll on your mind.
- Your Instagramming habit has taken its toll, man.
- And so yes, it, it does take its toll.
- You know, there's a lot that took its toll on her, put it that way.
- I mean, I know that the work you had to do and what you had to consume took its toll on your mental health when you would use drink to self-serve.
- So I'm, I'm, I'm speaking from experience here, but there is no doubt that obesity carries a, takes its toll on the wear and tear on the joints, right?
- And yeah, that was one of the one of the moments when I realized, wow, it is taking its toll.
Examples
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Working two jobs and attending full-time classes had taken its toll on her physical health.
Academic text (2014) -
Revolutionary violence took its toll in almost all countries in the region during the sixties and seventies.
Academic text (1993) -
This long winter has taken its toll.
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And it's beginning to take its toll.
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The sun has taken its toll on him.
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And it's taking its toll.
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People can say anything online and it can really take its toll on girls like you.
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The effort to cut costs also took its toll in other ways.
Academic text (1997) -
Losing Easter took its toll on all of us.
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Downsizing has taken its toll on the security cooperation community as well as the uniformed services.
Academic text (2001)
Synonyms
30
8.7
To severely damage something so it cannot be used
Antonyms
How Harmful
Surface Forms
Morphology
The parts 'take' (cause/receive) and 'toll' (harm, loss) supply a clear general clue that something is causing harm, so a learner who knows both words can often infer the basic meaning. However the phrase is metaphorical and specifically implies a cumulative or gradual effect rather than a literal taking, so the precise nuance is not fully predictable without exposure.
Etymology
The idiom take its toll may come from the idea of a toll as a small payment taken again and again. Imagine a bridge that takes a little money every time you cross; after many crossings you have less money, so something that takes its toll slowly causes harm or loss.