Take a cue from

Meaning

The idiom "take a cue from" means to observe or learn something from someone else's behavior, especially when the behavior is successful or effective. It can also mean to imitate or emulate someone else's behavior.

Usage

• "She took a cue from her boss and started dressing more professionally." (observation)
• "He took a cue from his colleague's presentation style and used visual aids in his own talk." (imitation)
• "The new employee took a cue from the company's established work ethic and started coming in early every day." (observation)
• "She took a cue from her friend's successful business venture and started her own e-commerce store." (imitation)
• "He took a cue from his mentor's negotiation skills and was able to close the deal with higher profit margins." (observation)

Roots and History

The phrase "take a cue" comes from the game of pool, where players would take clues or hints from their opponents' movements to improve their own shots. The idiom has been in use since at least the 17th century.

Synonyms in English

• Observe
• Imitate
• Learn from
• Take inspiration from
• Draw parallels with

Synonyms in other languages

• Observieren (German)
• Observer (French)
• Spießen (Swedish)
• Följa med (Spanish)
• 監隙看 (Chinese)

Similar Idioms

• cross the bridge

• lost on

• quote, unquote