prendere corpo

Literally, “to take body”. Compare French prendre corps.

prèndere corpo (first-person singular present prèndo corpo, first-person singular past historic prési corpo, past participle préso corpo, auxiliary avére)

1. (intransitive, idiomatic) to take shape
   • 2016, Tom Bissell, “Tutto di tutto: Infinite Jest, vent'anni dopo [Everything of everything: Infinite Jest, twenty years later]”, in David Foster Wallace, translated by Edoardo Nesi, Infinite Jest, Einaudi, page v:

     Non matura né prende corpo come capita al formaggio o al vino, e non cade a pezzi, per lo meno non in senso metaforico.

     It does not mature or take shape as it happens to cheese or to wine, and it does not fall to pieces, at least non in a metaphorical sense.

• dare corpo