If you take to someone or something, you like them, especially after knowing them or thinking about them for only a short time.
Did the children take to him? [VERBPARTICLE noun]
The first series was really bad. But for some reason the public took to it. [VERBPARTICLE noun]
2. phrasal verb
If you take to doing something, you begin to do it as a regular habit.
They had taken to wandering through the streets arm-in-arm. [VERBPARTICLE verb-ing]
More Synonyms of take to
See full dictionary entry for take
take to in British English
verb(intr, preposition)
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 straight away
3.
to have recourse to
to take to the bottle
4. take to heart
take to in American English
1.
to develop a habit or practice of doing, using, etc.
2.
to apply oneself to (one's studies, work, etc.)
3.
to become fond of; care for; be attracted to
4.
a.
to go to or withdraw to
to take to the hills, take to one's bed with the flu
b.
to travel on or proceed by
to take to the open road
See full dictionary entry for take
Examples of 'take to' in a sentence
take to
One of these men died after he was taken to the surface.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
HOTEL guests were taken to hospital after a balcony collapsed as they partied.
The Sun (2016)
A WOMAN died and a man was taken to hospital after a house fire.
The Sun (2016)
This keenly watched campaign is all about what it takes to be modern.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Police said one man was taken to hospital after being hit by a brick.
The Sun (2012)
The razzmatazz is not something he takes to naturally.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He died soon after being taken to hospital.
The Sun (2013)
Something the press took to be negative to me was a positive.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Is the "lesson" here something you can take to heart?
Goshgarian, Gary Exploring language (6th edn) (1995)
Eight people were taken to hospital after a floor collapsed in an office building during a meeting of health and safety officers.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Three people were taken to hospital after the crash in Oldham.
The Sun (2014)
Then we'll have something to take to the nation in a poll.
The Sun (2011)
Both victims died quickly after being taken to hospital, according to reports.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
A book is something you take to bed with you.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
A security guard had to be taken to hospital after being hit in the face.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It will help you think about the steps you can take to do something positive to improve your self-esteem.
Mansfield, Patricia Why Am I Afraid to be Assertive? (1994)
And in this new world things he says will be taken to mean something he didn't quite intend.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Took to drink or something.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
I've taken to poking about in my kitchen bin.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
A man aged 20 was taken to hospital after police found him with head wounds.
The Sun (2015)
I wish them well, if you can say that about people whom you are about to take to the cleaners.
The Sun (2007)
His characters don't suddenly burst into song or dance; they take to their instruments and sing as though music were their first language.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
At last he could bear it no longer; so he took to his heels, and off he ran in a very sad and sorrowful mood.
The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales (1812)
All related terms of 'take to'
take to task
to criticize or reprove
take to wife
to marry (a woman )
to take time
If you say that something will take time , you mean that it will take a long time.
to take vows
to enter a religious order and commit oneself to its rule of life by the vows of poverty , chastity , and obedience , which may be taken for a limited period as simple vows or as a perpetual and still more solemn commitment as solemn vows
take to drink
If someone takes to drink , they start to drink a lot of alcohol regularly, usually because they are depressed or worried about something.
take to heart
to take seriously or be upset about
to take cover
If you take cover , you shelter from gunfire , bombs , or the weather .
take a shine to
to take a liking to (someone)
take sb to task
If you take someone to task , you criticize them or tell them off because of something bad or wrong that they have done.
take (to) flight
to run away ; flee
take to the road
to start traveling; set out
to take the cake
If someone has done something very stupid , rude , or selfish , you can say that they take the cake or that what they have done takes the cake , to emphasize your surprise at their behavior.
to take up arms
If one group or country takes up arms against another, they prepare to attack and fight them.
not take kindly to
If someone does not take kindly to something, they do not like it.
take sth to heart
If you take something to heart , for example someone's behaviour , you are deeply affected and upset by it.
take to one's bed
to remain in bed , esp because of illness
take to one's legs
to run away
take to the floor
If you take to the floor , you start dancing at a dance or disco .
take to your heels
to run away .
to take the mickey
If you take the mickey out of someone or something, you make fun of them, usually in an unkind way .
to take the plunge
If you take the plunge , you decide to do something that you consider difficult or risky .
to take your time
If you take your time doing something, you do it quite slowly and do not hurry .
take a shine to sb
If you say that someone has taken a shine to another person, you mean that he or she liked them very much at their first meeting .
take care to do sth
If you take care to do something, you make sure that you do it.
take it to the wire
to compete to the bitter end to win a competition or title
take to one's heels
If you take to your heels , you run away .
take to the cleaners
to take all the money of
to take a back seat
If you take a back seat , you allow other people to have all the power and to make all the decisions .
to take the biscuit
If someone has done something very stupid , rude , or selfish , you can say that they take the biscuit or that what they have done takes the biscuit , to emphasize your surprise at their behaviour .
take off one's hat to
to admire or congratulate
take one's hat off to
to salute or congratulate
to take the high road
to take the course of action which is safest and most familiar
to take the long view
If you take the long view , you consider what is likely to happen in the future over a long period, rather than thinking only about things that are going to happen soon .
to take years off sb
if you say that something such as an experience or a way of dressing has taken years off someone, you mean that it has made them look or feel much younger
to take your mind off
If something takes your mind off a problem or unpleasant situation , it helps you to forget about it for a while.
to take sb to the cleaners
If someone takes you to the cleaners , they unfairly take most of your money, for example in a business deal or in gambling .
take a fancy to sb/sth
If you take a fancy to someone or something, you start liking them, usually for no understandable reason .
take/draw sb to one side
If you take someone to one side or draw them to one side , you speak to them privately, usually in order to give them advice or a warning .
take exception to something
If you take exception to something, you feel offended or annoyed by it, usually with the result that you complain about it.
take someone to the cleaners
to make someone lose a lot of money in an unfair or dishonest way
take steps to do something
to undertake measures with a view to the attainment of some end
to take a leap of faith
to risk belief
to take someone by surprise
If something takes you by surprise , it happens when you are not expecting it or when you are not prepared for it.
to take something as read
If you take something as read , you accept it as true or right and therefore feel that it does not need to be discussed or proved .
to take something lying down
If someone takes an insult or attack lying down , they accept it without protesting .
take flight
If someone takes flight , they run away from an unpleasant situation or place.
go to court/ take sb to court
If you go to court or take someone to court , you take legal action against them.
to take your hat off to someone
If you say that you take your hat off to someone, you mean that you admire them for something that they have done .
not to take no for an answer
If you say that someone will not take no for an answer , you mean that they go on trying to make you agree to something even after you have refused .
take a person to the cleaners
to rob or defraud a person of all of his or her money
Chinese translation of 'take to'
take to
vt fus
(= like) 喜欢(歡)上 (xǐhuan shang)
⇒ I immediately took to Alan.我立刻喜欢上了艾伦。 (Wǒ lìkè xǐhuan shang le Àilún.)
(= begin) 开(開)始常做 (kāishǐ chángzuò)
⇒ He's recently taken to fishing.他最近开始常去钓鱼。 (Tā zuìjìn kāishǐ cháng qù diàoyú.)
See take
Nearby words of
take to
take out
take out on
take over
take to
take up
take your pick
takeaway
All related terms of 'take to'
to take cover
隐(隱)蔽 yǐnbì
to take drugs
吸毒 xīdú
to take notes
记(記)笔(筆)记(記) jì bǐjì
to take place
( happen ) 发(發)生 fāshēng
to take power
夺(奪)取政权(權) duóqǔ zhèngquán
to take root
( plant ) 生根 shēnggēn
to take shape
( idea, plan etc ) 成形 chéngxíng
to take sides
偏袒 piāntǎn
to take time
需要时(時)间(間) xūyào shíjiān
to take action
采(採)取行动(動) cǎiqǔ xíngdòng
to take effect
( drug ) 见(見)效 jiànxiào
to take flight
逃跑 táopǎo
to take fright
受惊(驚) shòujīng
to take office
就职(職) jiùzhí
to take orders
接受命令 jiēshòu mìnglìng ⇒ I'm not taking orders from you or anyone else! → 我不会接受你或其他任何人的命令！ Wǒ bù huì jiēshòu nǐ huò qítā rènhé rén de mìnglìng!