take a view

English

Verb

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

1. (intransitive, UK, business) To form an opinion and take action on an issue which carries the risk of professional or legal liability; particularly where there is no obvious course of action.

   Collate together all the information you can, but do remember that Michael's the one who'll take a view, not you.

   If the insurer refuses to cover the defect in the policy, the client is just going to have to take a view.

   • 1997, The Structural Engineer: Journal of the Institution of Structural Engineers:

     But how can a client assess whether sufficient resources have been allocated to the project? This is obviously subjective but, nevertheless, clients have to 'take a view', if they are to comply with their statutory obligations.

   • 2004, Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. European Scrutiny Committee, Thirty-seventh Report of Session 2003-04: Documents Considered by the Committee on 17 November 2004, Including, Global Satellite Navigation System; Procedure for the Adoption of Measures Relating to Visas, Asylum and Immigration; European Defence Equipment Market, Report, Together with Formal Minutes, The Stationery Office, →ISBN, page 36:

     Law Officers have taken a view on the line which the UK should take in future on proposals which the UK supports for policy reasons, even though we consider they use the wrong legal base. The Department of Health will follow this agreed line for this proposal.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see Appendix:Collocations of do, have, make, and take.

Usage notes

• There is no implication that the decision has been risky in the sense of "reckless", but rather that a poor decision could, for example, result in one being held liable for professional negligence. As a result, the term is sometimes used as a way to imply that a decision has been (or must be) made by a suitably qualified person, such as a solicitor or financial advisor.
• The term is frequently used without being followed by a preposition (such as on).
• Not to be confused with take the view.