The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word ENSLAVING
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
E
N
S
L
A
V
I
N
G
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Taking a liberty" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case taking a liberty = enslaving.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ENSLAVING mean?
ENSLAVING verb- To make subservient; to strip one of freedom; enthrall.
- An enslavement.