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Glite Dictionary
to take liberties

to take liberties

6 7.7
Act too familiar with someone or their things without asking
  • phrasal verb
  • NSFW
translation icon : tomar libertades
  • I can't stand people that take liberties with weaker people.

I can't stand people that take liberties with weaker people.

Examples

  • The Church allows this for the sake of your safety, but you may not take liberties.

    Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970)

  • The article then runs with these few opinions and takes liberties in summarizing what it all means.

    Blog text (3)

  • In my view, these are people who are taking liberties, to be honest.

  • The first is when do we take liberties away from people?

  • - You are always taking liberties.

    xXx: State of the Union (2005)

  • No one's taking liberties with you, boy.

    Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2010)

  • Frankly, I think he is taking liberties on this matter.

    Blog text (14)

  • Judging by everything, it was only a sense of duty that kept the young policemen from taking liberties.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Honestly, there's nothing I detest more than someone taking liberties with a fine gentleman like yourself.

    Frenzy (1972)

  • Don't take liberties with my belongings; they are important to me.

Synonyms

to go too far
vsto take liberties
201 4.2

Say or do something that is not acceptable and may hurt people

crosses personal boundaries by being overfamiliar rather than merely excessive
to presume
vsto take liberties
74 6.1

To act with too much confidence and do things without permission

acts overfamiliarly and crosses social boundaries without permission
to transgress
vsto take liberties
12 7.8

To do something that breaks a law, rule, or your idea of right and wrong

involves improper familiarity rather than formal rule breaking

Antonyms

to request
∞ 1.0

To ask for something politely or formally

How Respectful

to take liberties
  • NSFW
6 7.7
to offend
524 2.8

Surface Forms

take liberties infinitive
taking liberties present participle
takes liberties third person singular
took liberties past
taken liberties past participle

Morphology

take + liberty

The meaning 'behave overfamiliar or take freedoms' follows directly from combining 'take' (to take/assume) with 'liberty' (freedom/permission), so a learner who knows those words can infer someone is exceeding allowed bounds. This metaphorical but regular composition is common cross-linguistically (e.g. Spanish 'tomar libertades', French 'prendre des libertés'), making the sense predictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Take liberties may come from the image of a person who takes small liberties or rights, for example using another person's things or changing plans without asking. So it now means 'to behave too freely or without permission'.