take to

verb

took to; taken to; taking to; takes to

transitive verb

1
: to go to or into (a place)
take to the woods/hills
Thousands of people took to the streets in protest. [=went out into the streets to protest]
He took to the airwaves [=he spoke on the radio] with his message.
2
: to begin doing (something) as a habit or regular practice
take to drink
usually used with a following present participle
take to drinking/smoking
He's recently taken to staying up late on weekends.
A few of her classmates took to calling her Pipi, after Pippi Longstocking …Calvin Tomkins
Recently, he'd taken to wearing tuxedos and suits and had gotten a new car, she said.Laura Italiano and Tamar Lapin
3
: to adapt oneself to
They haven't taken well to the new schedule.
4
: to start to have a liking for
I took to her immediately.
He tried skiing and took to it quickly. [=he quickly learned how to ski and liked doing it]

Note: To take to something like a duck (takes) to water is to begin to do it, use it, etc., in a very quick, easy, and natural way.

She took to horseback riding like a duck to water.
Deanna takes to student life like a duck takes to water, doing all the things that we all did …Joe Anderton
see also take kindly to

Examples of take to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The baby was taken to a hospital for a full evaluation, Lynch said. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2025 Lewis was taken to Pulaski County jail, where she was charged, the release says. Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2025 Go leaf-peeping in nearby state parks like Patapsco Valley or Gunpowder Falls, or take to the water on a scenic Inner Harbor cruise for skyline views framed by fall color. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2025 When football was introduced in the early 1890s, beer enthusiasts instantly took to the sport and straddled the Mississippi River like a roulette wheel, only with one side wearing red and the other black and gold. Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for take to

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of take to was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Take to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20to. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

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