Take stock

Meaning

The idiom "take stock" means to evaluate the present situation, to assess one's resources or capabilities, to make a critical analysis of something, or to examine and analyze something in detail.

Usage

• After losing her job, Maria decided to take stock of her skills and start looking for new opportunities.
• The manager asked his team to take stock of the company's financial situation before making any big decisions.
• When planning a trip, it's important to take stock of your budget and book accommodations accordingly.
• The player took stock of the game situation and made a strategic move that won him the match.
• After a successful project, the team took stock of their progress and celebrated their achievements.

Roots and History

The idiom "take stock" has its roots in the 17th century when it was used in accounting to record a company's assets and liabilities. This meaning evolved over time to include evaluating a situation or analyzing something in detail, which is how it is commonly understood today. The phrase has remained mostly unchanged since then, with only minor variations in usage and context.

Synonyms in English

• Assess
• Evaluate
• Analyze
• Appraise
• Judicate

Synonyms in other languages

• Enquérir sur la situation (French)
• 瞭解狀態 (Chinese)
• Beurler auf die Situation (German)
• 控制渠道 (Japanese)
• אבקות המהשים נספסדים (Hebrew)

Similar Idioms

• take a back seat

• take it on the chin

• the die is cast