take a toll



take (quite) a toll (on someone or something)

to cause damage or wear by using something or by hard living. Years of sunbathing took a toll on Mary's skin. Drug abuse takes quite a toll on the lives of people.
See also: take, toll

take a/its/their toll

to have a bad effect on someone or something (often + on ) Bringing up nine children had taken its toll on my mother. The disease has taken a horrendous toll in parts of western Africa.
See sound the death knell
See also: take, toll

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
GarthGAHRTHEnglish
BoyceBOISEnglish
Etheldred-Medieval English
LakshmiLUKSH-mee (Hinduism)Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi
Paskal-Bulgarian, Macedonian
Tess[tes]