Take under one's wing 👐🪽

Meaning

To protect, guide, or support someone, especially someone younger or less experienced.

Origin

This warm, protective image comes straight from nature, specifically from birds. Mother birds meticulously nurture and shield their chicks within the safety of their wings, keeping them warm, hidden from predators, and teaching them essential survival skills. It's a direct metaphor for human mentorship, where a more experienced person acts as a caring guardian, offering shelter and guidance much like a bird of prey or a mother hen would do for her young.

Take under one's wing represented with emoji👐🪽

This playful pairing of open hands and a feather functions as a sweet reminder of protection and guidance. It underscores the gentle act of embracing someone under your care, much like a bird shelters its young. Note how the simple visuals evoke a feeling of warmth and support, teaching the viewer the profound power of mentorship.

Examples

  • The senior programmer decided to take the new intern under her wing and show her the ropes.
  • When the stray kitten was found, the kind old woman took it under her wing.
  • The seasoned baker took the nervous apprentice under his wing, promising to teach him all his secrets, including how to make the dough sing.
  • The wise old owl gently took the lost baby robin under his wing, guiding it through the whispering woods toward the dawn.

Frequently asked questions

Is 'take under one's wing' a proverb or an idiom?

The phrase 'take under one's wing' is classified as an idiom. Idioms are phrases where the meaning isn't deducible from the individual words, much like this one where 'wing' symbolizes protection and guidance, not a literal appendage.

What is the opposite of 'take under one's wing'?

The opposite of 'take under one's wing' is to abandon or neglect someone. This contrasts with the protective and supportive nature of the idiom, implying a lack of care or guidance.

Can you 'take under one's wing' an animal?

While the idiom's origin is from observing birds, it is primarily used metaphorically to describe human relationships. Applying it to animals would be highly unusual and typically reserved for anthropomorphic storytelling.

Does 'take under one's wing' imply a permanent relationship?

Not necessarily, the duration of mentorship implied by 'take under one's wing' can vary greatly. The focus is on the act of offering support and guidance during a specific period of vulnerability or learning, rather than a lifelong commitment.

Similar to "take under one's wing"

Show someone the ropes
Both phrases involve guiding a newcomer, but 'show someone the ropes' is more about practical, task-oriented instruction in a specific job or skill, whereas 'take under one's wing' implies a broader, more personal mentorship
Be a mentor to
Both concepts point to a guiding relationship, yet 'be a mentor to' emphasizes the giving of advice and wisdom gained from experience, often in a professional or academic context, while 'take under one's wing' suggests a more protective and nurturing stance
Take someone under one's patronage
Both phrases suggest support and guidance for someone less established, but 'take someone under one's patronage' carries a connotation of a benefactor, often with social or artistic influence, offering resources and visibility, which is more formal and less personal than the familial warmth of 'take under one's wing'

Opposite of "take under one's wing"

Throw someone to the wolves
This phrase argues for abandoning someone to a dangerous or hostile situation, standing in stark contrast to the protective impulse of 'take under one's wing' and highlighting a cynical disregard for vulnerability
Leave someone to fend for themselves
This advocates for a rugged independence, positioning self-reliance as paramount, which directly challenges the nurturing dependency implied by 'take under one's wing' and finds value in harsh lessons rather than gentle guidance
Exploit someone's inexperience
Instead of protecting and guiding, this phrase advocates for taking advantage of a novice's naiveté, offering a dark mirror to 'take under one's wing' by revealing the exploitative potential lurking beneath the surface of guidance

Related to "take under one's wing"

Nurture talent
This phrase shares the developmental intent of 'take under one's wing,' focusing specifically on cultivating nascent abilities rather than the broader protection of a person
Guide one's footsteps
Echoing the directional aspect of mentorship, 'guide one's footsteps' emphasizes leading someone along a particular path, much like taking them under one's wing, but with a more explicit focus on the journey itself
Play the elder
This phrase evokes the supportive and guiding role inherent in 'take under one's wing,' positioning the speaker as a wise, experienced figure offering counsel and perhaps even protection
Be a shield for
This shares the protective core of 'take under one's wing,' but focuses solely on defense against external threats, rather than the broader scope of guidance and support