to take the low road
3
8.2
- idiom
:
tomar el camino fácil
- Many politicians take the low road when they prioritize their interests over their constituents' needs.
Examples
-
You take the low road and I'll take the high road!
Blog text (5) -
Well, Peak Oil will lead to one of two outcomes: either we take the high road, or we take the low road.
Blog text (32) -
You mean he'll be taking the low road.
Blog text (3) -
"Dude, take the low road."
Blog text (34) -
I'll take the high road, and you take the low road.
Blog text (5) -
You'll take the high road and I'll take the low road
-
Instead of compromising, instead of lending a hand, and instead of treating each other with dignity and respect, we take the low road.
Blog text (31) -
He chose to take the low road by accepting the bribe instead of doing the right thing.
-
She was disappointed to see her friends take the low road and cheat during the competition.
Synonyms
4
6.5
Act in a way that makes people respect you less
Antonyms
How Moral
22
5.9
3
8.2
- Informal
55
6.8
12
6.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'choose a less moral or honorable approach' is directly derivable from the constituents: 'take' (choose), 'low' (inferior or morally low), and 'road' (a way or course). The metaphor of a 'road' as an approach and 'low' as inferior is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the component words would likely infer the intended sense.
Etymology
Take the low road comes from a simple image: imagine two paths, a higher, cleaner one called the high road and a lower, muddier one called the low road. One popular story says people who chose the low road took the easier, dirtier way instead of the honest way, so today the phrase means 'to act dishonestly'.