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MrPernickety Posted 17 years ago
Vocabulary

Usage of "take lodging"

Hi,

Is it common practice on US soil to use "take lodging" as a substitute for "take up residence"?

For instance, do you find the following sentences odd in any way?

1. He took lodging in his parents' house due to high rent rates.

2. A flock of birds took up lodging in the attic of my friend's house.

Thanks in advance!
  

Top answer

No, I would say it's not very common. I would never say someone "took lodging" with their parents -- it suggests that the parents run a boarding house and the son is paying rent. " (2) isn't bad -- it somehow suggests (to me at least) that the birds considered several different places and selected this one as the most desirable.

— Khoff

  • No, I would say it's not very common.
  • I would never say someone "took lodging" with their parents -- it suggests that the parents run a boarding house and the son is paying rent.
  • " (2) isn't bad -- it somehow suggests (to me at least) that the birds considered several different places and selected this one as the most desirable.
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5 Answers
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No, I would say it's not very common.
I would never say someone "took lodging" with their parents -- it suggests that the parents run a boarding house and the son is paying rent. Just say "He moved back in with his parents..."
(2) isn't bad -- it somehow suggests (to me at least) that the birds considered several different places and selected this one as the most desirable.
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Thanks, Khoff!

In passing, could you tell me if there's any significant difference between "take lodging" and "take up lodging" ?
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MrPernickety In passing, could you tell me if there's any significant difference between "take lodging" and "take up lodging" ?
I agree with Khoff, except for the the birds' selectivity. It may well be the case, but I don't hear it as implied in your sentence.

I hear "take up lodging" as the beginning of an indefinite stay, possibly long term.
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AvangiI hear "take up lodging" as the beginning of an indefinite stay, possibly long term.

"Take lodging," except with birds and other critters, strikes me as very temporary:
"We took lodging for the night."

Hi, Avangi

That makes sense.
Thanks a lot for the pointers!
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1. He took lodging in his parents' house due to high rent rates.
"Sought lodging" would be less odd that "took lodging," under the circumstances, but it's not very current
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