take root

take root — idiom

1. Of a plant or seed, to put out roots and begin growing in the soil where it was

1.慣用語不及物B2
釋義

Of a plant or seed, to put out roots and begin growing in the soil where it was placed.

例句

Baraka scattered wildflower seeds along the fence last month, and they have finally taken root.

literal meaning for plants; perfect aspect 'have taken root'

The young tree struggled to take root in the rocky soil beside the old barn.

同義詞
  • root

    simple verb form, works for both literal and figurative uses but is less common in everyday speech

  • take hold

    more general — can refer to any kind of establishment, not just plants

反義詞
  • die off

    suggests plants failing to survive after being planted

  • wither

    focuses on the plant drying up rather than the root system failing

文法句型

take root (no object)

用法筆記

In the literal sense, 'take root' is most common in perfect tenses ('has taken root') or after verbs like 'begin to' or 'struggle to'. The simple present ('it takes root') is rare for living plants and sounds more like a general scientific description.

常見錯誤

❌The plant took root in the pot after I watered it.' (grammatically correct but sounds odd for a potted plant — 'take root' is used more for outdoor planting in natural soil.)
✅The plant began to root in the pot after I watered it.
💡Use 'root' (verb) or 'put out roots' for potted plants.
❌The seed took root within a day.
✅The seed sprouted within a day.
💡A seed sprouts first; 'take root' refers to the root system developing after sprouting.

2. If an idea, belief, custom, or system takes root in a place or group, people the

2.慣用語不及物B2
釋義

If an idea, belief, custom, or system takes root in a place or group, people there start to accept it as normal or true.

例句

Recycling took root in the city after the council started a free collection service.

metaphorical use for practices/customs; past simple with specific time reference

Nadia worried that harmful stereotypes had taken root among the younger students at her school.

同義詞
  • catch on

    less formal; suggests an idea becoming popular rather than deeply accepted

  • gain ground

    suggests gradual progress rather than full establishment

  • become entrenched

    stronger and more negative in tone — suggests something is difficult to remove

反義詞
  • die out

    suggests an idea or practice disappearing over time

  • fade away

    softer than 'die out'; suggests gradual loss of influence

文法句型

take root (no object)

take root + adverbial of place

用法筆記

This sense is almost always used with a subject that is an abstract noun — ideas, beliefs, systems, customs, attitudes, or practices. It rarely takes a human subject. The negative 'never really taken root' and the conditional 'would take root if...' are common patterns in political and social commentary.

常見錯誤

❌The manager took root in the company.' (person as subject)
✅The manager's ideas took root in the company.
💡The subject must be the idea or practice, not the person.
❌She took root in the new city after a year.
✅She settled in the new city after a year.
💡For a person becoming established, use 'settle' or 'put down roots', not 'take root'.

3. Of a practice, tradition, institution, or feeling, to become firmly fixed or est

3.慣用語不及物C1
釋義

Of a practice, tradition, institution, or feeling, to become firmly fixed or established so that it lasts for a long time.

例句

The Sunday community meal took root in the village over a hundred years ago.

traditions as subject; adverbial of time 'over a hundred years ago'

Kian hoped a love of reading would take root in his children before they started school.

同義詞
  • become established

    more neutral in tone; can apply to both people and institutions

  • set in

    usually negative (e.g. 'panic set in'); suggests something unwanted becoming fixed

  • take hold

    similar strength but slightly less formal

反義詞
  • die out

    suggests a practice or tradition disappearing completely

  • fall into disuse

    formal register; suggests gradual abandonment

文法句型

take root (no object)

take root in [place/group]

用法筆記

Sense 3 differs from sense 2 in that the subject is a concrete practice or institution (a volunteer programme, a tradition) rather than an abstract idea or belief. The focus is on long-term durability rather than initial acceptance. Common in historical or institutional descriptions.

常見錯誤

❌The habit of smoking took root in him.' (sounds unnatural)
✅The habit of smoking took root among young people in the 1990s.
💡'Take root' usually takes a place or group as the location, not a person.
❌A small café took root on the corner.
✅A small café opened on the corner and quickly became a local institution.
💡For businesses or physical buildings, use 'become established' rather than 'take root'.