take advantage of

take advantage of

1. To use or make use of.

   He took advantage of the swimming pool every day of his visit.

   • 1749, [John Cleland], Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], London: Printed [by Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], OCLC 731622352:

     But now this visit of my soft warm hand in those so sensible parts had put every thing into such ungovernable fury that, disdaining all further preluding, and taking advantage of my commodious posture, he made the storm fall where I scarce patiently expected, and where he was sure to lay it

2. To exploit, for example sexually.

   She took advantage of his desperation.

   He toyed with her emotions just to get her in bed. He took advantage of her.