take to

See also: taketo and Taketo

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

take to (third-person singular simple present takes to, present participle taking to, simple past took to, past participle taken to)

1. (idiomatic) To adapt to; to learn, grasp or master.

   Although he had never skated before, he took to it quickly, and soon glided around the ice with ease.

   She took to swimming like a fish.

   • 1941 September, O. S. Nock, “The Locomotives of Sir Nigel Gresley: Part V”, in Railway Magazine, page 396:

     This new batch was sent to Leicester shed, and the redoubtable enginemen who had made such a reputation for themselves with the ex-G.C.R. Atlantics took to the "B17s" immediately, although, of course, they required quite different driving methods; [...].

2. (idiomatic) To enter; to go into or move towards.

   As the train rushed through, thousands of birds took to the air at once.

   • 2013 June 7, Gary Younge, “Hypocrisy lies at heart of Manning prosecution”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 18:

     WikiLeaks did not cause these uprisings but it certainly informed them. The dispatches revealed details of corruption and kleptocracy that many Tunisians suspected, but could not prove, and would cite as they took to the streets.

3. (idiomatic) To begin, as a new habit or practice.

   After the third one was rejected, she took to asking the department to check the form before she submitted it.

   • 1865, Lewis Caroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (poem:You Are Old, Father William):

     "In my youth," said his father, "I took to the law, And argued each case with my wife"

   • 2022 July 27, Sir Michael Holden, “In praise of Crossrail 1... and in search of Crossrail 2”, in RAIL, number 962, page 34:

     I made a trip out on the line on Day 7 of public operation, and was delighted to see pretty steady use all along the line, even off-peak. It's clear that Londoners are quickly taking to their new railway.

4. (idiomatic, of persons) To be attracted to.
   • 2002 December 22, Kerry Hardie, “First Chapter: A Winter Marriage”, in New York Times, retrieved 9 June 2015:

     She met Ned when he was looking anyway. . . . And he took to her, he liked her crooked straightness from the start.

Derived terms

• like a duck takes to water

See also

• take something to