1. Home
2. Idioms
3. take advantage

take advantage

---

---

take advantage (of something)

also take full advantage (of something)

to use an opportunity to get or achieve something He took advantage of the prison's education program to earn a college degree. There are peaches and strawberries grown on the farm, and I sure take full advantage of them.

Usage notes: often said of someone who has opportunities that others do not have: The rich can take advantage of clever accounting tricks to avoid taxes.

See also: advantage, take

take advantage (of somebody)

to use someone's weakness to improve your own situation Mr. Smith often takes advantage of my friendship and leaves the unpleasant tasks for me to do.

See also: advantage, take