take a liberty—(also: take liberties)
1. be unduly or improperly familiar with a person:
- He would be a bold man who ventured to take a liberty with her, or to overstep the limits laid down by her.
2. make free with smth. such as rules, facts, etc.:
- I’ll take a liberty with the phrase. To call this man a minister is to stretch the meaning of the words, but I’ll describe him as that.
3. dare to do smth. without the permission or suggestion of another person:
- I have taken a liberty to publish your article hoping that you would not be against it.
take the liberty — = take a liberty 3:
- I have taken the liberty of switching off your car lights.