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take

Pronunciation: /teɪk/
Translate take | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of take

verb (past took /tʊk/; past participle taken /ˈteɪk(ə)n/)

[with object]
  • 1lay hold of (something) with one’s hands; reach for and hold:he leaned forward to take her hand
  • capture or gain possession of by force or military means:twenty of their ships were sunk or taken the French took Ghent
  • (in bridge, whist, and similar card games) win (a trick): West leads a club enabling his partner to take three tricks in the suit
  • Chess capture (an opposing piece or pawn): Black takes the rook with his bishop
  • Cricket dismiss a batsman from (his wicket): he took seven wickets in the second innings
  • dispossess someone of (something); steal or illicitly remove:someone must have sneaked in here and taken it
  • occupy (a place or position):we found that all the seats were taken
  • rent (a house): they decided to take a small house in the country
  • agree to buy (an item):I’ll take the one on the end
  • (be taken) humorous (of a person) already be married or in an emotional relationship.
  • [in imperative] use or have ready to use:take half the marzipan and roll out
  • [usually in imperative] use as an instance or example in support of an argument:let’s take Napoleon, for instance
  • British regularly buy or subscribe to (a particular newspaper or periodical).
  • ascertain by measurement or observation:the nurse takes my blood pressure
  • write down:he was taking notes
  • make (a photograph) with a camera: he stopped to take a snap
  • (especially of illness) suddenly strike or afflict (someone):mum’s been taken bad
  • have sexual intercourse with.
  • 2 [with object and adverbial of direction] remove (someone or something) from a particular place:he took an envelope from his inside pocket the police took him away
  • subtract:take two from ten add the numbers together and take away five
  • 3 [with object and usually with adverbial] carry or bring with one; convey:he took along a portfolio of his drawings the drive takes you through some wonderful scenery [with two objects]:I took him a letter
  • accompany or guide (someone) to a specified place:I’ll take you to your room
  • bring into a specified state:the invasion took Europe to the brink of war
  • use as a route or a means of transport:take the A43 towards Bicester we took the night train to Scotland
  • 4accept or receive (someone or something):she was advised to take any job offered they don’t take children
  • understand or accept as valid:I take your point
  • acquire or assume (a position, state, or form):teaching methods will take various forms he took office in September
  • receive (a specified amount of money) as payment or earnings:on its first day of trading the shop took 1.6 million roubles
  • achieve or attain (a victory or result):John Martin took the men’s title
  • act on (an opportunity):he took his chance to get out while the house was quiet
  • experience or be affected by:the lad took a savage beating
  • [with object and adverbial] react to or regard (news or an event) in a specified way:she took the news well everything you say, he takes it the wrong way
  • [with object and adverbial] deal with (a physical obstacle or course) in a specified way:he takes the corners with no concern for his own safety
  • regard or view in a specified way:he somehow took it as a personal insult [with object and infinitive]:I fell over what I took to be a heavy branch
  • (be taken by/with) be attracted or charmed by:Billie was very taken with him
  • submit to, tolerate, or endure:they refused to take it any more some people found her hard to take
  • (take it) [with clause] assume:I take it that someone is coming to meet you
  • 5consume as food, drink, medicine, or drugs:take an aspirin and lie down
  • 6make, undertake, or perform (an action or task):Lucy took a deep breath the key decisions are still to be taken
  • conduct (a ceremony or gathering).
  • be taught or examined in (a subject):some degrees require a student to take a secondary subject
  • British obtain (an academic degree) after fulfilling the required conditions:she took a degree in business studies
  • 7require or use up (a specified amount of time):the jury took an hour and a half to find McPherson guilty [with two objects]:it takes me about a quarter of an hour to walk to work
  • (of a task or situation) need or call for (a particular person or thing):it will take an electronics expert to dismantle it
  • hold; accommodate:an exclusive island hideaway that takes just twenty guests
  • wear or require (a particular size of garment or type of complementary article):he only takes size 5 boots
  • 8 [no object] (of a plant or seed) take root or begin to grow; germinate:the fuchsia cuttings had taken and were looking good
  • (of an added substance) become successfully established: these type of grafts take much better than other xenografts
  • 9 Grammar have or require as part of the appropriate construction:verbs which take both the infinitive and the finite clause as their object

noun

  • 1a scene or sequence of sound or vision photographed or recorded continuously at one time:he completed a particularly difficult scene in two takes
  • a particular version of or approach to something:his own whimsical take on life
  • 2an amount of something gained or acquired from one source or in one session:the take from commodity taxation
  • chiefly US the money received at a cinema or theatre for seats.
  • 3 Printing an amount of copy set up at one time or by one compositor.

Phrases

be on the take

informal take bribes: he may be county sheriff, but he’s on the take

be taken ill

become ill suddenly.

have what it takes

informal have the necessary qualities for success: for those who have what it takes, early responsibility will bring job satisfaction

take advantage of (or take advice etc.)

see advantage, advice, etc.

take something as read

see read.

take a chair (or seat)

sit down.

take five

informal, chiefly North American have a short break: there was a newsreel crew taking five at a little café nearby

take a lot of (or some) ——

be difficult to do or effect in the specified way:he might take some convincing

take someone in hand

undertake to control or reform someone.

take something in hand

start doing or dealing with a task.

take ill (US sick)

informal become ill, especially suddenly.

take something ill

archaic resent something done or said: there was no point in calling her attention to the implications of her statement, she would only take it ill

take it from me

I can assure you:take it from me, kid—I’ve been there, done it, seen it all

take it on one (or oneself) to do something

decide to do something without asking for permission or advice: she had taken it on herself to rearrange all the furniture in the sitting room

take it or leave it

[usually in imperative] said to express that the offer one has made is not negotiable and that one is indifferent to another’s reaction to it:that’s the deal—take it or leave it

take it out of

  • 1exhaust the strength of (someone):parties and tours can take it out of you, especially if you are over 65
  • 2British take reprisals against.

take someone out of themselves

make a person forget their worries.

take that!

exclaimed when hitting someone or taking decisive action against them: You lowlifes! Take that! And that! And that!

take one's time

not hurry: take your time if you’re planning a big job

Phrasal Verbs

take after

resemble (a parent or ancestor):the rest of us take after our mother

take against

British begin to dislike (someone), often for no strong or obvious reason:from the moment he arrived, they took against this talented loudmouth

take something apart

dismantle something.
(take someone/thing apart) informal attack, criticize, or defeat someone or something in a vigorous or forceful way: she was relishing the sight of me being verbally taken apart

take something away

British buy food at a cafe or restaurant for eating elsewhere:he ordered a lamb madras to take away

take away from

detract from:that shouldn’t take away from the achievement of the French

take someone back

strongly remind someone of a past time:if ‘Disco Inferno’ doesn’t take you back, the bell-bottom pants will

take something back

  • 1retract a statement:I take back nothing of what I said
  • 2return unsatisfactory goods to a shop.
  • (of a shop) accept goods returned as unsatisfactory.
  • 3 Printing transfer text to the previous line.

take something down

  • 1write down spoken words:I took down the address
  • 2dismantle and remove a structure:the old Norman church was taken down in 1819

take from

another way of saying .

take someone in

  • 1accommodate someone as a lodger or because they are homeless or in difficulties: the convent took in single Catholic ladies fallen on hard times
  • 2cheat, fool, or deceive someone:she tried to pass this off as an amusing story, but nobody was taken in

take something in

  • 1undertake work at home.
  • 2make a garment tighter by altering its seams.
  • Sailing furl a sail.
  • 3include or encompass something:the sweep of his arm took in most of Main Street
  • fully understand or absorb something heard or seen:she took in the scene at a glance
  • 4visit or attend a place or event in a casual way or on the way to another:he’d maybe take in a movie, or just relax

take off

  • 1(of an aircraft or bird) become airborne.
  • (of an enterprise) become successful or popular:the newly launched electronic newspaper has really taken off
  • 2 (also take oneself off) depart hastily:the officer took off after his men

take someone off

informal mimic someone humorously.

take something off

  • 1remove clothing from one’s or another’s body:she took off her cardigan
  • 2deduct part of an amount.
  • 3choose to have a period away from work:I took the next day off

take on

British informal become very upset, especially needlessly:don’t take on so—no need to upset yourself

take someone on

  • 1engage an employee.
  • 2be willing or ready to meet an adversary or opponent:a group of villagers has taken on the planners

take something on

  • 1undertake a task or responsibility, especially a difficult one:whoever takes on the trout farm will have their work cut out
  • 2acquire a particular meaning or quality:the subject has taken on a new significance in the past year

take someone out

  • 1escort someone to a social event or place of entertainment:I took her out to dinner the following night
  • 2 Bridge respond to a bid or double by one’s partner by bidding a different suit: most players would take their partners out into 4♥ on these hands

take someone/thing out

informal kill, destroy, or disable someone or something.

take something out

  • 1obtain an official document or service:you can take out a loan for a specific purchase
  • get a licence or summons issued.
  • 2chiefly USanother way of saying .

take something out on

relieve frustration or anger by attacking or mistreating (a person or thing not responsible for such feelings).

take something over

  • 1 (also take over) assume control of something:British troops had taken over the German trenches
  • (of a company) buy out another: his new company took over his old one
  • become responsible for a task in succession to another:he will take over as chief executive in April
  • 2 Printing transfer text to the next line.

take to

  • 1begin or fall into the habit of:he took to hiding some secret supplies in his desk
  • 2form a liking for:Mrs Brady never took to Moran
  • develop an ability for (something), especially quickly or easily:I took to pole-vaulting right away
  • 3go to (a place) to escape danger or an enemy:they took to the hills

take someone up

adopt someone as a protégé.

take something up

  • 1become interested or engaged in a pursuit:she took up tennis at the age of 11
  • begin to hold or fulfil a position or post:he left to take up an appointment as a missionary
  • accept an offer or challenge.
  • 2occupy time, space, or attention:I don’t want to take up any more of your time
  • 3pursue a matter later or further:he’ll have to take it up with the bishop
  • (also take up) resume speaking after an interruption:I took up where I had left off
  • 4shorten a garment by turning up the hem.

take someone up on

  • 1challenge or question a speaker on (a particular point):the interviewer did not take him up on his quotation
  • 2accept (an offer or challenge) from someone:I’d like to take you up on that offer

take up with

begin to associate with (someone), especially in a way disapproved of by the speaker:he’s taken up with a divorced woman, I understand

Derivatives

takable

(also takeable) adjective

Origin:

late Old English tacan 'get (especially by force), capture', from Old Norse taka 'grasp, lay hold of', of unknown ultimate origin

take in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of take in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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