take (one's) life
(redirected from took their life)take (one's) life
To kill one or oneself. In the latter case, "own" often precedes "life." Do you feel any remorse for taking their lives all those years ago? I was so saddened to hear that Daniel's father took his own life yesterday.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
take someone's life
to kill someone. (Can include onself.) It's the executioner's job to take people's lives.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
take someone's life
1. Kill someone, as in They argued about invoking the death penalty for taking someone's life. [c. 1300]
2. take one's own life. Commit suicide, as in Most churches have long opposed taking one's own life. [First half of 1900s]
3. take one's life in one's hands. Take a serious risk, as in Climbing without oxygen is really taking your life in your hands.
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.
take somebody’s ˈlife
(formal) kill somebody: In my opinion, the state does not have the right to take a person’s life.take your own ˈlife
(formal) kill yourself; commit suicide: His children died in a house fire and shortly afterwards he took his own life.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
take (one's) life
To commit suicide.
take (someone's) life
To commit murder.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.