take liberties
The phrase "take liberties" refers to actions that involve excessive freedom or disrespect, often without permission.
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Definition
B2General
(idiomatic)To act with undue freedom or disregard for rules or conventions.
Example
- He took liberties by changing the meeting agenda without consulting anyone.
B2Interpersonal
(idiomatic)To behave in an overly familiar or disrespectful manner, often without permission.
Example
- She was upset when he took liberties by addressing her by her first name without asking.
B2Creative Work
(idiomatic)To make unauthorized or disrespectful changes to something, especially a piece of writing or historical facts.
Example
- The director took liberties with the original story, altering key events.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "take liberties":
play fast and looseat libertyindecent libertytake advantagemake free with