What does the idiom "Take a leaf out of one's book" mean?

The on-line Free Dictionary (idioms) explains the idiom as:

"To do something in the way someone else would do it; to behave or act like someone else." For example in a sentence:

You are looking particularly fit and healthy these days. I think I'll take a leaf out of your book and go running in the mornings.

The Macmillan Dictionary uses the following example:

"They should take a leaf out of industry’s book and pay both management and staff on results."

The English language is full of idioms - some specific to certain cultures and languages. Others common to all.

More Info: www.macmillandictionary.com

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13 Comments

Joanne Serin

I've only heard this saying with "page," not "leaf".

janellejaworski

Oh to emulate someone's example sorry my mistake.

Shirley Campbell

I have heard this saying before. I have heard both sayings: Take a leaf and a page out of someone else's book. If you have someone you admire, not a bad way to say you want to follow their example.

Irene Townsend

The saying is "Take a leaf out of their book" .

Chrissie

It's taking a leaf out of someone else's book, per the examples given in the answer. "Taking a leaf out of one's book" implies that you are taking it out of your own book, which makes the idiom meaningless.

earlepg

It seems that about 8% took it literally.

Char

Doris Dallaire, leaf is a page..I always heard leaf..page works too

Kathryn Cavanagh

Doris Dallaire, I've heard both.

Howard Groopman

Doris Dallaire, I agree, but probably in some cultures, they refer to a page as a leaf. You've probably heard the expression "turning over a new leaf" for changing one's attitude or similar.