take one for the team
Accept group's burden
To take one for the team is to accept a personal burden or unpleasant task for the benefit of the group.
The phrase comes from sports—a batter hit by a pitch advances to base, helping the team despite personal pain.
Extended uses range from genuine sacrifice to ironic trivialities: Someone has to eat the last slice of pizza—I'll take one for the team.
- martyrdomSuffering for conviction
- substituteReplacement for another
- selflessnessPrioritizing others over oneself
- valianceCourageous spirit, heroism
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
camaraderie · esprit de corps · take the fall · altruism · suck it up · grin and bear it · tough it out · group dynamics · forfeiture · stoicism · fall guy · accountability · bite the bullet · give up · obligation · step up · concession · man up
- sports idiomsdrop the ball, throw in the towel, slam dunk, out of left field, level playing field
- sportsmanshipfairness, fair play, sportsmanship, respect, integrity
take one for the teamlook out for number one
Favor your own interests
every man for himself · self-preservation · freeload · leave someone holding the bag · sell out
take one for the teampass the buck
Transfer responsibility elsewhere
scapegoat · shift the blame · point the finger · weasel out · duck out
take one for the teamstab in the back
Treachery against an ally
sell out · turn traitor · abandon ship · desert · defect
taken, taking, taker, takers, teamed, teaming, teammate, teammates, teamwork