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take a bow

Idioms  
  1. Acknowledge praise or applause, as in The conductor asked the composer to take a bow. This idiom uses bow in the sense of “inclining the body or head as a token of salutation.” [c. 1800]


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Cora took a curtain call from the Dodger Stadium crowd and Scully said, “Yeah take a bow, Alex! You deserve it and then some!”

From Los Angeles Times May 1, 2026

If imitation truly is the sincerest form of flattery, perhaps Americans should take a bow.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 12, 2026

Not everyone has the choice, but you do, so take a bow.

From MarketWatch Feb. 5, 2026

Claudia, the players, the producers, the stylists... everyone involved needs to take a bow.

From BBC Jan. 26, 2024

I looked from the dark noisy blur to Mr. Rice, but he was already turning to take a bow.

From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson

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