take someone at their word

take someone at their word

English

Verb

take someone at their word

1. (transitive) To take someone literally, even though they may not have been serious; to take someone seriously even though they were joking, and take up a challenge.
2. (transitive) To take someone's word for it, to believe someone without having means to check that what they said is true.

Translations

Translations

Finnish: ottaa todesta, ottaa kirjaimellisesti

French: prendre au mot (fr), prendre au pied de la lettre (fr), prendre au sérieux (fr)

Translations

Finnish: luottaa sanaan (+ genitive or possessive suffix), uskoa sanaan (+ genitive or possessive suffix)

French: croire sur parole (fr)

Further reading

• “take someone at their word” (US) / “take someone at their word” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.
• “take someone at their word” in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press.
• “take sb at their word” in the Collins English Dictionary
• “take someone at his word” in the Collins English Dictionary