take a reading

(verb) to take a reading is to check out a particular situation in a small way, in order to get an accurate idea of someone's character, usually for the future when the stakes may be higher. The person who is curious may do this deliberately -- or accidentally, for example by observing how a certain person treats others.

Friend #1: "Should I loan Alex my car?"
Friend #2: "Didn't you take a reading last year, when he borrowed your bike and returned it all beat up?"
OR
Friend #3: "Yeah, David definitely seemed like the man of my dreams, but I had to take a reading when he was rude to our waitstaff."
Friend #4: "OMG, how pathetic!"

by liv4mntns October 28, 2009

take a wrench out of the oven

to take a dump; to do #2; to take a smash

I'm going to take a wrench out of the oven.

by wild_bill34 November 14, 2009

take that cookie

To engage in vaginal sex.

I am going to take that cookie Amber.

by cjismitch August 31, 2010

Taken roughly in the barn

Alfresco lovin' in a building normally used for housing farm animals (hay optional). Phrase commonly found in country "romance novels". Popular hobby in agricultural areas in England.

Friend 1: Have you seen that new glass barn?

Friend 2: Yeah, I wouldn't want to be taken roughly in that barn. It might shatter.

Friend 1: Hey, what's the happy haps?

Friend 2: Not much, got taken roughly in the barn last night.

by Springgay May 31, 2011

taken with a grain of salt

to not be entirely trusted, to be skeptical of something

idiomatic expression Americans use

taken with a grain of salt-

to consider something to be not completely true or right

I've read the article, which I take with a grain of salt.

Related vocabulary: hard to swallow

by rach131 March 12, 2015

Take a break, that's all there is for now

when you have approved or disapproved all new entries on Urban Dictionary

"Take a break, that's all there is for now"

by Scots April 3, 2015

take it in the shorts

taking it in the ass, financially.

His broker made a fuckton of shady investments, now he's going to take it in the shorts.

by andyfrank December 7, 2015