take the rap
To be blamed or punished for something, especially for the wrongful actions of another; to willingly allow oneself to be so blamed or punished.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He decided to take the rap for his friend's mistake.”
“Even though the manager made the error, the assistant chose to take the rap to protect the team.”
“Rather than exposing the true culprit and causing a public scandal, the loyal employee agreed to take the rap for the financial discrepancy.”
- 01
be taken ill
To become ill.
- 02
bum rap
An undeservedly unfavorable portrayal or reputation.
- 03
cross to take up
Alternative form of cross to bear.
- 04
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.
- 05
get taken in
To be fooled; to fall for.
- 06
give and take
A process of compromise or accommodation.
- 07
give someone an inch and someone will take a mile
Alternative form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.
- 08
have one's name taken
To receive a yellow card.
Last updated August 10, 2026