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

take one’s stand • take the stand
take one’s stand —take one’s place or position: The players,
except one, take their stand at one side, and one stands at the
other side in front of them.
take the stand —
1
. (U.S. legal) come into the witness box to
give testimony: The judge next asked the defendant to take
the stand. 2. take one’s position on an elevated platform (as a
speaker, etc.): So many people roll their eyes when they hear
a girl singer is about to take the stand.
take rank of someone • take rank with someone
take rank of someone —be of superior rank or status to a per-
son: The first wife, however, takes rank of all the others, and
is considered mistress of the house.
take rank with someone —be of the same rank or status as
smb.: Far better is it to dare mighty things, than to take rank
with those poor timid souls who know neither victory nor
defeat.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase pull rank with someone—(also: pull rank on someone)
use one’s superior rank to gain an advantage: “May I remind
you that I am your superior?” Darcy glared at his cousin. He
never pulled rank with him.
take service • take the service
take service —(dated) 
1
. become employed: Poor boys, of
good families, will often take service as apprentices. 2. join a
fighting force: Recollect, that, whatever general you take serv-
ice under, you will follow him.
take the service —conduct divine worship: I’m not going to
church this evening. The Vicar is taking the service and I can’t
endure his sermons.
take shape • take the shape
take shape —
1
. become definite in form or outline: In a short
time the bag began to distend and then the balloon took shape
and form. 2. reach the necessary standard; become complete:
As Robin’s plan took shape we could appreciate the brilliance
of its simplicity.
take the shape —take the form of a particular thing: They
[birds] are also called Boat-tails because their tail-feathers are
formed so as to take the shape of a canoe.