A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

Note: 
a) The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the
phrase put one’s life in someone’s hands—allow smb. to have
complete control over what happens to a person: What makes
you think I would put my life in your hands?
take breath
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b) Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase
take one’s life
—(also: take one’s own life) commit suicide: A
second Czechoslovak has tried to take his life as a political
protest by setting fire to himself.
take one’s measures • take someone’s measure
take one’s measures —take certain steps in regard to a given
situation, problem, etc.: After five minutes’ troubled reflec-
tion, Klimper took his measures. With unusual difficulty he
procured a private interview.
take someone’s measure —
1
. determine the different dimen-
sions of a person’s body for clothes, etc.: The tailor took my
measure. Reichmann told him it must be made by the morn-
ing. 2. form an opinion of a person’s character, abilities, etc.:
I have encountered a good many of these gentlemen in actual
service, and have taken their measure.
take one’s medicine • take one’s own medicine
take one’s medicine —submit to smth. unpleasant; accept the
punishment which one deserves: You go back and take your
medicine like a man.
take one’s own medicine —(also: take a dose of one’s own med-
icine) receive treatment of the same disagreeable kind as one
has given smb. else: Having the polygraph policy mandated
by a Congress that doesn’t have the backbone to “take their
own medicine” is not a good way to convince people.
take one’s orders • take orders
take one’s orders— receive directions or commands: The civil
patrol serves under the command of the chief commissioner,
who takes his orders from the army command.
take orders —
1
. = take one’s orders: Jules had to take orders
from him pretending to go along with him in his ridiculous
schemes. 2. (also: take holy orders) become a priest in the Angli-
can Church: I had scarcely taken orders a year before I began
to think seriously of matrimony.