take stock (of)
Meaning(s)
1. consider something carefully
Popularity
High
Professional
High
Social
How to Memorize
take stock of a situation
Analysis
To 'take stock of' something means to consider a situation carefully in order to decide what to do next or to appreciate how far you have come or what you have achieved. When you 'take stock' you have a moment of reflection or consideration before moving on. Similar in meaning to 'regroup', 'review' or 'weigh up'.
Social Examples (Basic)
- A birthday is always a good time to stop, reflect, and take stock of how things are going in your life.
Social Examples (Advance)
- Taking stock of the current political climate, the politician realized that his Bill had no chance of succeeding and so he decided to withdraw it.
- I think the Minister has made the decision to increase taxes without taking stock of the struggling middle classes.
Professional Examples (Basic)
- I think we should schedule a meeting so that we can take stock of the situation, and figure out what our next move should be.
- At this time of the year, it's good to take stock of the achievements of the outgoing board and welcome the new one.