take (something) as gospel

To believe that something is absolutely true without any hesitation or reservations. When we're growing up, we take what our parents tell us as gospel. That's part of why teenagers are so rebellious, because they're just starting to realize their parents' fallibility. The beloved professor's opinions on the author are taken as gospel by his students.

Also, take for gospel. Believe absolutely, regard as true, as in We took every word of his as gospel, but in fact he was often mistaken. This idiom, first recorded in 1496, uses gospel in the sense of the absolute truth. Also see gospel truth.

If you take something as gospel or take it as the gospel truth, you accept it as being completely true, especially when it is not. You will read a lot of advice in books and magazines but you shouldn't take it all as gospel. Too many people take what he says as gospel. Note: You can also accept something as gospel or accept something as the gospel truth. For some reason, people are willing to accept as gospel these ridiculous claims. Here, their opinions are accepted as the gospel truth. Note: If you say that something is the gospel truth, you mean that it is completely true. When people ask me how old I am, and I say I don't know, they think I'm lying. But it's the gospel truth. Note: In the Christian religion, the gospel is the message and teachings of Jesus Christ. The four books of the Bible which describe His life and teachings are called the Gospels.