English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Take into account
Meaning
The idiom "take into account" means to consider or pay attention to something important when making a decision or taking an action. It is used to show that someone is being thoughtful and not dismissing anything. The literal meaning of the phrase is to physically take something into one's possession, but it has evolved to mean considering something mentally.
Usage
- "Before making any changes to the project, we need to take into account the feedback from our clients."
- "The teacher took into account the students' different learning styles when creating the lesson plan."
- "We need to take into account the weather conditions before planning the hike."
- "When negotiating the salary, it's important to take into account the company's budget and the employee's experience."
- "The doctor took into account the patient's medical history when prescribing medication."
Roots and History
The phrase "take into account" has been used in English since at least the 16th century, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The earliest known use of the idiom was in 1566, where it was used in a legal document. Over time, the meaning of the phrase has evolved to include considering something mentally, rather than just physically taking possession of something.
Synonyms in English
- Consider
- Pay attention to
- Be mindful of
- Take stock of
- Keep in mind
Synonyms in other languages
- French: prendre en compte (prɛndre en compte)
- Spanish: considerar (considerar)
- Italian: tenere a conto (tenere a conto)
- German: berücksichtigen (berücksichtigen)
- Russian: учёсть (учтесть) The French idiom "prêndre en compte" has the same meaning as "take into account". It is commonly used in both formal and informal situations. In Spanish, "considerar" is used to mean "to consider", and "tenere a conto" is used with the same meaning as "to take into account". German uses the phrase "berücksichtigen", which means "to take into consideration". Russian uses the word "учтесть", which also means "to take into account".