take advantage of sb/sth
idiom.idiom. to use a situation or a person to get what you want. This can be a smart way to use an opportunity, or it can be unfair if you treat someone badly for your own gain.
idiom. to exploit a situation or person for personal benefit. The phrase carries a dual pragmatic function: it can be neutral or positive when referring to opportunities, but it is pejorative when the object is a person, implying manipulation or unfair treatment.
You should take advantage of the sunny weather and go outside.
The company took advantage of the new tax laws to increase its annual profits.
Critics argued that the predatory lenders were taking advantage of vulnerable families who did not fully understand the high interest rates of the contracts they were signing.
when the object is a person, it almost always implies a lack of ethics or fairness.
highlight the 'opportunity' vs 'exploitation' distinction by contrasting 'take advantage of a sale' with 'take advantage of a friend'.
He took advantage from the situation.He took advantage of the situation.the phrase always requires the preposition 'of' to connect to the object.