From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtake something as a complimenttake something as a complimentto be pleased about what someone says about you, even though they may not mean to be nice They all seem to think that I ask rather cheeky questions, which I’ll take as a compliment. → compliment
Examples from the Corpus
take something as a compliment• He would only assume that she attached some importance to his opinion and take it as a compliment.• But Marcel would no doubt take that as a compliment.• After a bit she became used to being stared at, even taking it as a compliment.• I did not quite know what they meant but I took it as a compliment.• I take that as a compliment.• But when she heard such things, Privet took it as a compliment.• But the members of Greyhound Soul take it as a compliment, as it was meant to be taken.• I said he was a workaholic, and he seemed to take it as a compliment.• After all, these services are free and we take it as a compliment if you ask. 