take one's ball and go home

English

Alternative forms

• take one's bat and ball and go home
• take one's football and go home

Etymology

From the image of a group of children playing a sport with a ball that is the exclusive property of one of the participants.

Verb

take one's ball and go home (third-person singular simple present takes one's ball and goes home, present participle taking one's ball and going home, simple past took one's ball and went home, past participle taken one's ball and gone home)

1. (figuratively) To cease participating in an activity that has turned to one's disadvantage, especially out of spite, or in a way that prevents others from participating as well.
   • 1978, "House Vote 13," In Common, Vol. 9, p. 52 (Google snippet view):

     In 1977 American auto industry leaders threatened to "take their ball and go home" by shutting down production of 1978 models unless they received yet a third delay in meeting the auto emission standards of the Clean Air Act.

   • 2008 May 6, Andrew Ross Sorkin, “How Not to Make a Deal”, in New York Times, retrieved 6 May 2015:

     [F]aced with the choice of raising his bid by a dollar or two a share or making a hostile offer, Mr. Ballmer did neither. Instead, he took his ball and went home.

Translations

Translations

• Spanish: romper la baraja

See also

• dog in the manger