# take liberties

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/take-liberties
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To act on one's own authority, without asking for permission.

## Examples

- Please do not take liberties with my equipment.
- The intern took liberties by changing the project deadline without asking the manager for permission first.
- The director took liberties with the original script, altering the ending significantly to suit his own artistic vision.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.