take something as it comes

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian); “take things as they come”:

  (file)

Verb

take something as it comes (third-person singular simple present takes something as it comes, present participle taking something as it comes, simple past took something as it came, past participle taken something as it came)

1. (idiomatic) To accept and deal with something (an event, etc.) as it occurs, with a composed state of mind.

   take life as it comes

   • 1899 February 5, “Klondike Reminiscences”, in New York Times, page 15:

     There are really no hardships if you take things as they come and make the best of them.

   • 2002 December 27, Sam Lister, “Lost love story of the valiant rifleman”, in Times Online, UK, retrieved 25 July 2008:

     He also urges Louie: “Take things as they come and keep smiling. Keep your spirits up, my dear. Be of good cheer and all will be well.”

Translations

take things as they come

• Finnish: ottaa asiat sellaisina kuin ne tulevat
• French: prendre les choses comme elles viennent (fr)
• German: etwas nehmen, wie es kommt
• Spanish: tomárselo a medida que viene

See also

• equanimity
• go with the flow
• let the chips fall where they may
• take something in stride
• cross that bridge when one comes to it
• ride with the punches
• roll with the punches

Further reading

• “take something as it comes” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.
• “take sth as it comes”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “take something as it comes” (US) / “take something as it comes” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.