take to

British  

verb

1. to make for; flee to

   to take to the hills

2. to form a liking for, esp after a short acquaintance

   I took to him straightaway

3. to have recourse to

   to take to the bottle

4. to regard seriously

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take to Idioms  

1. Have recourse to, go to, as in They took to the woods . [c. 1200]

2. Develop as a habit or steady practice, as in He took to coming home later and later . [c. 1300]

3. Become fond of, like, as in I took to him immediately , or The first time she skied she took to it . This expression, from the mid-1700s, is sometimes expanded to take to it like a duck to water , a simile dating from the late 1800s.

4. take to be . Understand, consider, or assume, as in I took it to be the right entrance . [Mid-1500s] Also see the subsequent entries beginning with take to .

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Example Sentences

"The campaign will focus on raising awareness that leaving bags of waste next to public litter bins is still fly-tipping and will promote simple steps people can take to manage household waste responsibly."

From BBC

A decision was taken to "euthanise her and end her suffering after a veterinary assessment".

From BBC

He quit his normal watchdog duties—he’d always been a good barker if somebody drove up—and took to sitting in the yard, staring at the house.

From Literature

When she heard the dogs bark, the cow took to the stream and disappeared.

From Literature

Are there any models that you have in mind for what steps governments should take to actually help communities and not only improve their material conditions, but institutionalize their say in the policy process?

From Salon

Related Words

• accept
• advocate
• appreciate
• approve
• back
• champion
• choose
• encourage
• endorse
• pick
• praise
• support