Take it up/down a notch

Meaning

The idiom "take it up/down a notch" means to increase or decrease something by a small amount, usually to make it more challenging or less difficult. It is often used when describing a physical change, such as increasing the speed of an object or reducing the volume of sound.

Usage

• The gym instructor told me to take my workout routine up a notch if I wanted to see results.
• He suggested taking the difficulty level of the game down a notch for beginners.
• My boss said that if I could handle the stress, she would give me more responsibilities and take my workload up a notch.
• The restaurant served us an amazing meal, but we decided to take it down a notch by skipping dessert.
• When I learned how to play guitar, I started practicing for longer periods of time to take my skills up a notch.

Roots and History

The origin of this idiom is unclear, but it is believed to have emerged in the United States in the early 20th century. The phrase "take it up/down a notch" may be related to the concept of adding or subtracting something by a small increment, as suggested by the literal meaning of the idiom.

Synonyms in English

• Increase/decrease by increments
• Elevate/lower by degrees
• Raise/drop by steps
• Upgrade/downgrade
• Enhance/diminish

Synonyms in other languages

• Spanish: Aumentar/disminuir en grados/pasos
• French: Augmenter/réduire par degrés/étapes
• German: Erhöhen/erschwachen durch kleine Schritte/Tritte
• Italian: Aumentare/diminuire in gradini/passi
• Portuguese: Aumentar/diminuir em graus/passos

Similar Idioms

• aid and abet

• upside down

• cut the crap