take matters into one's own hands

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

take matters into one's own hands

1. (idiomatic) To deal with a problem alone, because others responsible have failed to deal with it.
   • 2011 February 12, Les Roopanarine, “Birmingham 1 - 0 Stoke”, in BBC‎^[1]:

     But while the two strapping front men battered Foster, they could not better him, and in the absence of tangible reward for his creative efforts, Pennant almost took matters into his own hands, curling a low free-kick inches wide of Foster's left-hand upright.

Related terms

• take the law into one's own hands