Manage vs Take care of that son-of-a-bitch
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Manage
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Take care of that son-of-a-bitch
SlangTop 5,000 (fairly common)
Most formal: ManageMost common: Manage
| Manage | Take care of that son-of-a-bitch | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈmænɪdʒ/","/ˈmænɪdʒɪz/","/ˈmænɪdʒd/","/ˈmænɪdʒɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈmænɪdʒ/","/ˈmænɪdʒɪz/","/ˈmænɪdʒd/","/ˈmænɪdʒɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //teɪk keə əv ðæt sʌn əv ə bɪtʃ//🇺🇸 //teɪk kɛr əv ðæt sʌn əv ə bɪtʃ// |
| Meaning | To control or handle something. | Look after someone annoying or difficult. |
| Example | I need to manage my time better to finish my homework. | You really need to take care of that son-of-a-bitch before he causes more trouble. |
| Register | Neutral | Slang |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | effectively, efficiently, properly, be difficult to, be easy to, learn (how) to, nicely, perfectly well, very well, be able to, can, have to, on, without, manage on your own, nicely, perfectly well, very well, be able to, can, have to, on, without, manage on your own, nicely, perfectly well, very well, be able to, can, have to, on, without, manage on your own, nicely, perfectly well, very well, be able to, can, have to, on, without, manage on your own, effectively, efficiently, properly, be difficult to, be easy to, learn (how) to | take care of business, take care of yourself, take care of others |
| Antonyms | neglect, abandon, mismanage | - |
| Common mistakes | Using 'manage' without an object, e.g., 'I manage.' without specifying what is being managed., Confusing with 'managing' when the present participle is not needed., Incorrectly using 'manage' as a synonym for 'administer' in non-administrative contexts. | Confused with 'take care about', which is incorrect., May use it in formal situations, which sounds inappropriate., Think it is only for serious situations, missed out on its humorous use. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in both professional and everyday contexts. Not usually used in highly formal situations. Avoid using when discussing passive or uncontrolled situations. | Used informally to convey annoyance. Probably not suitable for formal settings or around people you don't know well. |
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Frequently asked questions: Manage vs Take care of that son-of-a-bitch
What's the difference between Manage and Take care of that son-of-a-bitch?
Manage: To control or handle something. Take care of that son-of-a-bitch: Look after someone annoying or difficult.
Which is more formal: Manage and Take care of that son-of-a-bitch?
Manage is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Manage and Take care of that son-of-a-bitch?
Manage is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Manage: I need to manage my time better to finish my homework. Take care of that son-of-a-bitch: You really need to take care of that son-of-a-bitch before he causes more trouble.
Can I use Manage and Take care of that son-of-a-bitch interchangeably?
Not always. Manage and Take care of that son-of-a-bitch are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.