take to

verb

1. have a fancy or particular liking or desire for (Freq. 4)

-

She fancied a necklace that she had seen in the jeweler's window

• Syn: ↑fancy, ↑go for

• Derivationally related forms: ↑fancy (for: ↑fancy), ↑fancier (for: ↑fancy)

• Hypernyms: ↑desire, ↑want

• Entailment: ↑like

• Verb Frames:

-

Somebody ——s something

-

Somebody ——s somebody

2. develop a habit; apply oneself to a practice or occupation (Freq. 1)

-

She took to drink

-

Men take to the military trades

• Verb Frames:

-

Somebody ——s something

-

Somebody ——s VERB-ing

* * *

1) begin or fall into the habit of

he took to hiding some secret supplies in his desk

2) form a liking for

Mrs. Brady never took to Moran

■ develop an ability for (something), esp. quickly or easily

I took to pole-vaulting right away

3) go to (a place) to escape danger or an enemy

they took to the hills

* * *

take to [phrasal verb]

1 take to (something) : to go to or into (a place)

They grabbed their weapons and took to the hills.

Thousands of people took to the streets in protest. [=went out into the streets to protest]

He took to the airwaves [=he spoke on the radio] with his message.

2 take to (someone or something) : to begin to like (someone or something)

I took to her as soon as she smiled at me.

Many students have not taken well to the new school uniforms.

He tried skiing and took to it immediately. [=he quickly learned how to ski and liked doing it]

She took to horseback riding like a duck (takes) to water. [=she learned it in a very easy and natural way]

(informal) They don't take kindly to strangers [=they don't like strangers] around here.

3 take to (doing something) : to begin (doing something) as a habit

He took to drinking after he lost his job.

She had taken to sleeping on the floor.

We've taken to calling him “Mr. Dependable.”

4 take (something) to (someone or something) : to use (something) to do something to (someone or something)

Someone needs to take a mop to this floor. [=someone needs to mop this floor]

I took an ax to the dead tree in front of my house. [=I cut down the dead tree with an ax]

He was criticized for taking a belt to his children. [=hitting his children with a belt]

• • •

Main Entry: ↑take