take a powder
To leave without saying goodbye; to leave quietly, to run away; to scram; to depart without taking leave or notifying anyone, often with the implication of avoiding something unpleasant or shirking responsibility.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The party was boring, so he decided to take a powder.”
“When the boss started asking difficult questions about the missing money, the manager took a powder and left the building.”
“Rather than face the consequences of his failed project, he chose to take a powder, leaving his colleagues to explain the situation to the board.”
- 01
be taken ill
To become ill.
- 02
cross to take up
Alternative form of cross to bear.
- 03
forget to take one's medication this morning
To be annoyed or irritable, or to behave in an ill-mannered way, particularly in the morning.
- 04
get taken in
To be fooled; to fall for.
- 05
give and take
A process of compromise or accommodation.
- 06
give someone an inch and someone will take a mile
Alternative form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.
- 07
have one's name taken
To receive a yellow card.
- 08
I take it
Used to express one's understanding of another's position.
Last updated August 10, 2026