take one’s color from somebody

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you share with me your opinion about my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

And you must be open to all impressions and let your thoughts take color from what you see.

take one’s color from somebody = take somebody’s color = fall under influence of

V.

 

[JTRiff]

And you must be open to all impressions and let your thoughts take color from what you see.
take one’s color from somebody = take somebody’s color = fall under influence of.
Nope. It's a one-off, almost poetic expression that works in this example, but not something you will hear used.


not a teacher

 

[Tdol]

Is there more context?

 

[vil]

And you must be open to all impressions and let yours thoughts take colors from what you see.

You should be as a pipe for any wind to play upon. There should be no cackle of voices at your elbow, so jar on the meditative silence of the morning. And so long as a man is reasoning he cannot surrender himself to that fine intoxication that comes of much motion in the open air, that begins in a sort of dazzle and sluggishness of the brain, and ends in a peace that passes comprehension.

Here is another example of usage of the expression in question:

He hadn't been born in this society, but he had taken its color. (C. P. Snow, "Corridors of Power")

 

[JTRiff]

The phrase works fine, but is not what one would call common.
Take color from, does mean be influenced by, take on the attributes of, but you probably won't hear it used in everyday speech.



not a teacher