#754 Taking its Toll

English learning phrase of the day: to take its toll, Britain's obesity crisis, Very large croissants and Britain's Airports E-Gates crash. The idiom "to take its toll" means to be damaging or harmful, cause loss or destruction. It is often used to describe the negative effects of something over time, such as the civil war taking its toll on both sides. The phrase is derived from the taking of toll, a tribute or tax, to exacting other costs. It can also be used to describe the negative effects of stress on people, such as the constant stress taking its toll on emergency room workers.