take it or leave it

phrase

Denoting that a situation has to be accepted without change, or rejected outright.

“That's the deal: take it or leave it.”

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Meanings

phrase

alternative uncommon take it, or leave it

  1. idiomaticDenoting that a situation has to be accepted without change, or rejected outright.

    That's the deal: take it or leave it.

    3 more examples

    Just take it or leave it / Don't tell your friends just what you're going to do now / You take it or leave it

    1966, Jagger–Richards, “Take It or Leave It”, in Aftermath, performed by The Rolling Stones

    Even when you are making your final offer, presenting the deal as a "take it or leave it" proposition is a mistake.

    2007, Michael C. Donaldson, David Frohnmayer, Negotiating For Dummies, Wiley, page 169

    Mr. Vance said little about what took place during more than 21 hours of negotiations, suggesting he had handed the Iranians a take-it-or-leave-it proposal to forever terminate their nuclear program, and they left it.

    2026 April 12, Tyler Pager, David E. Sanger, “What Now? Vance Leaves Iran Talks Without a Deal.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
  2. idiomaticDenoting that one does not care about or is unexcited for something.

    When it comes to eating steak, I could take it or leave it.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
duck or no dinnermy way or the highway

Translations

Czech ber nebo neber, ber nebo nech být
  • ber nebo neberaccept the situation without change
  • ber nebo nech býtaccept the situation without change
Finnish ota tai jätä
  • ota tai jätäaccept the situation without change
French à prendre ou à laisser
  • à prendre ou à laisseraccept the situation without change
German friss oder stirb
  • friss oder stirbaccept the situation without change
Hungarian eszi, nem eszi, nem kap mást
  • eszi, nem eszi, nem kap mástaccept the situation without change
Italian prendere o lasciare
  • prendere o lasciareaccept the situation without change
Polish wóz albo przewóz, wóz albo przewóz
  • wóz albo przewózaccept the situation without change
  • wóz albo przewóznot caring about a choice or possibility
Portuguese é pegar ou largar, tanto faz
  • é pegar ou largaraccept the situation without change
  • tanto faznot caring about a choice or possibility
Romanian nemulțumitului i se ia darul, calul de dar nu se caută la dinți
  • nemulțumitului i se ia darulaccept the situation without change
  • calul de dar nu se caută la dințiaccept the situation without change
Scottish Gaelic gabh no guait e
  • gabh no guait eaccept the situation without change
Spanish lentejas, si quieres las comes y si no, las dejas
  • lentejas, si quieres las comes y si no, las dejasaccept the situation without change
Turkish ister al, ister alma
  • ister al, ister almaaccept the situation without change
Cite this entry
APA

take it or leave it. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20it%20or%20leave%20it

MLA

“take it or leave it.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20it%20or%20leave%20it. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “take it or leave it,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20it%20or%20leave%20it.

Source: take it or leave it on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.