take doing

take doing

To be particularly difficult or require a large amount of effort or planning. Well, it took doing, but I finally got the engine up and running again. I reckon we can get it finished by tomorrow, but it'll take doing.

See also: take

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

take doing

Require considerable effort, as in It'll take doing to get the whole house painted in a week. This expression sometimes is put as take some doing, as in You want the President to come? That'll take some doing! [First half of 1900s]

See also: take

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.