take aim

1. (intransitive) To position oneself and/or one's weapon so as to be aimed specifically at a chosen mark or target (which is indicated after 'at')

   He took aim at the prize bird meticulously and shot the cock from the distant flock with a single shot.

   • 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], OCLC 752825175 ↗:

     But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. ¶ […] The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window at the old mare feeding in the meadow below by the brook, […].

2. (idiomatic) To direct criticism (towards).

   He needed someone to blame for the bus accident, so took aim at the mechanics who failed to carry out the checks.

• Italian: prendere di mira, prendere la mira
• Russian: це́литься
• Spanish: apuntar