Learn English – to have somebody down as somebody

british-englishidioms

Is the idiomatic expression to have somebody down as somebody a primarily British phrase?

For example:

  • I never had you down as a Luddite.

If so, is there a corresponding American idiom?

Best Answer

The phrase "to have somebody down as something" is used in the sense of "regard someone as/think someone as. A synonym of this phrase is "to put someone down as". You use these phrases when you think someone is a particular type or class of person.

However, there are some other verbs or phrases that are more common and idiomatic. For example, you can say:

I never thought of you as a Luddite = I never had/put you down as a Luddite.

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