take the L

• take the l, take an L, take an l, take Ls, take L's

From take + the + L (“losses (in sports statistics)”).

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take the L (third-person singular simple present takes the L, present participle taking the L, simple past took the L, past participle taken the L)

1. (slang) To take the loss; to lose a game or competition, to make a mistake or to otherwise be beset with unfortunate circumstances.
   • 2023, Nathan Bryon, Tom Melia, directed by Raine Allen-Miller, Rye Lane:

     Dom (David Jonsson): Please tell me you dumped his arse right there and then. […]
     Yas (Vivian Oparah): Nope. I took a big L and got this prick some fucking hummus.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see take,‎ L.

   We took the L (elevated train) to get downtown last night.