take a shine to sb.

[Nefertiti]

Hi there.

take a shine to someone
to like someone immediately:
I think he's taken a bit of a shine to you. (Cambridge)

1. Does anyone know where this phrase to 'take a shine to sb' originate? Or explain it on your own view?

2. Is it a common usage?

Thanks,

[Tdol]

The online Etymology dictionary gives this:
Phrase to take a shine to "fancy" is Amer.Eng. slang from 1839. (Online Etymology Dictionary)

However, it is also used in British English. I wouldn't say it is particularly common. The British Vational Corpus has aunder 20 examples of it in all the fornms of the verb (take/takes/took/taken)