“to take advantage of someone”
Buddy: Sometimes I think I’m too nice. I think people are starting to take advantage of me!
Lauren: You are a really nice guy, but what do you mean exactly?
Buddy: Well, the other day I told me friend he could borrow my car for an afternoon, so I let him. Two days later, he asked if I could lend my car to him again for the weekend. I let him borrow it then, too.
Lauren: That was kind of you!
Buddy: I know, but he just asked to borrow it again, and this time he wants it for a whole month!
Lauren: A month! That’s a really long time! Don’t you need your car?
Buddy: Actually, I do. I use it every day.
Lauren: Well, what are you going to tell him?
Buddy: I already told him that he could borrow it. I don’t know what I’m going to do without my car.
Lauren: Oh, Buddy! You are too nice! If you don’t stand up for yourself, people are going to take advantage of you! Don’t be a pushover!
Buddy: OK, I’ll try. Can I borrow your car?
Lauren: No! See? It’s easy, right?
“to take advantage of someone” happens when someone finds a weakness in another person, and then uses (exploits) that weakness for their own benefit
This idiom is in our LSI book, Speaking Transitions!