what it takes
Save This Word!
The necessary expertise or qualities, as in She's got what it takes to make a good doctor, or Inherited wealth is what it takes to maintain that lifestyle. This idiom uses what in the sense of “that which” and take in the sense of “require.” [1920]
QUIZ
TAKE JOY IN ACING THIS QUIZ ON “PRIDE” SYNONYMS
Hold your head up high as you embark on this quiz that explores some of the synonyms and meanings of “pride.”
Question 1 of 7
What does "dignity" mean?
Words nearby what it takes
what goes around comes around, what have you, what-if, what in the world, what is more, what it takes, what'll, what makes one tick, whatnot, what of it?, what's
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.