take a gander
To take a look; to check or examine.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Take a gander at this new photo.”
“If you are unsure about the contract, take a gander at the final page before signing.”
“The detective decided to take a gander at the dusty archives, hoping to uncover a clue that everyone else had overlooked.”
first recorded 19th c.
First recorded in 1887, the phrase is based on the visual habit of craning the neck to see over an obstacle, mimicking the physical posture of a male goose.
- 01
be taken ill
To become ill.
- 02
cross to take up
Alternative form of cross to bear.
- 03
forget to take one's medication this morning
To be annoyed or irritable, or to behave in an ill-mannered way, particularly in the morning.
- 04
get taken in
To be fooled; to fall for.
- 05
give and take
A process of compromise or accommodation.
- 06
give someone an inch and someone will take a mile
Alternative form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.
- 07
have one's name taken
To receive a yellow card.
- 08
I take it
Used to express one's understanding of another's position.
Last updated August 10, 2026