take a count—estimate how many there are of smth.:
- By taking a count we established that catering units were covering their seats 250 per cent at lunch time.
take the count—
1. = take a count:
- Deborah took the count of members who plan to attend and asked them to refer to her any special needs.
2. (Boxing ) be knocked out:
- “I nearly took the count that time, old fellow,” he said.
3. be overcome or defeated:
- He took the count, having picked an election fight with the Prime Minister on the latter’s home ground.
Note: Neither expression fully correlates in meaning with the phrase take count—
1. = take a count:
- The U.S. Census Bureau took count of how many grandparents are raising grandchildren.
pay attention to smth.; take smth. into consideration:
- The model takes count of the thermodynamical characteristics of the sea surface.