to take at face value
18
4.5
- phrasal verb
:
dar por cierto
- The majority of consumers are uninformed and will take this commercial at face value.
- take this statement at face value
- take government claims at face value
- often taken at face value
Well, let's take the theory at face value and see what it tells us.
- Well, let's take the theory at face value and see what it tells us.
- There is no reason for us to take his words at face value.
- You know, the president said some very, very provocative things during these discussions, and everybody took him at face value.
- However, the problem is science doesn't take anything at face value, not without proof.
- But the actual demonstration of their eventual electoral effect is a little bit hard to take at face value.
- You know, I'd take people at face value and also prisoners react.
- You can't take what she says at face value that she wants.
- However, we have to take everyone at face value as if they may actually be suicidal.
- So NVIDIA here and let's let's take their GPP posts at face value.
- It is possible to just take that at face value, but I do worry that it it's not fully an open heart.
Examples
-
I am willing here to take Cyprian at face value.
Academic text (2004) -
Please, let's take John's story at face value and explore it from that perspective.
-
There are people who still take him at face value on that.
-
So I think we have to take that at face value, if you like, of being okay.
-
The only thing we can do is take it at face value.
Academic text (2016) -
I believe we can take it at face value.
Academic text (2006) -
At first, when I saw the episode, I took everything at face value.
Blog text (8) -
Okay, I'll take that answer at face value.
-
We all learned ages ago that you never take what anyone says at face value; you never trust anybody completely.
Fiction book (2001) -
You should take her words at face value and believe that she is telling the truth.
Synonyms
∞
1.3
To believe or agree that something is true
140
7.6
To believe a story or explanation that may be untrue
1
7.1
To believe something without proof
Antonyms
How Trusting
Surface Forms
Morphology
The expression combines 'take' with the collocation 'face value' (face = appearance, value = worth), so the basic idea of accepting something based on its outward appearance is derivable from the parts. However, 'face value' as a fixed noun phrase and the exact pattern 'take X at face value' is somewhat idiomatic and requires knowing the collocation; many B1 learners would not reliably predict the full meaning without prior exposure.
Etymology
Take at face value comes from money. When people took a coin or bill at its face value, they accepted the number shown on its front without checking the metal or real worth. So, it means 'to accept something as true without checking'.