take: Meaning and Definition of

take

Pronunciation: (tāk), [key]

— v., n. took, tak•en, tak•ing,

—v.t.

to get into one's hold or possession by voluntary action: to take a cigarette out of a box; to take a pen and begin to write.
to hold, grasp, or grip: to take a book in one's hand; to take a child by the hand.
to get into one's hands, possession, control, etc., by force or artifice: to take a bone from a snarling dog.
to seize or capture: to take an enemy town; to take a prisoner.
to catch or get (fish, game, etc.), esp. by killing: to take a dozen trout on a good afternoon.
to pick from a number; select: Take whichever you wish.
to receive and accept willingly (something given or offered): to take a compliment with a smile; to take a bribe.
to receive or be the recipient of (something bestowed, administered, etc.): to take first prize.
to accept and act upon or comply with: to take advice; to take a dare.
to receive or accept (a person) into some relation: to take someone in marriage; to take new members once a year.
to receive, react, or respond to in a specified manner: Although she kept calm, she took his death hard.
to receive as a payment or charge: He refused to take any money for the use of his car.
to gain for use by payment, lease, etc.: to take a box at the opera; to take a beach house for a month.
to secure regularly or periodically by payment: to take a magazine.
to get or obtain from a source; derive: The book takes its title from Dante.
to extract or quote: He took whole passages straight from Dickens.
to obtain or exact as compensation for some wrong: to take revenge.
to receive into the body or system, as by swallowing or inhaling: to take a pill; to take a breath of fresh air.
to have for one's benefit or use: to take a meal; to take a nap; to take a bath.
to use as a flavoring agent in a food or beverage: to take sugar in one's coffee.
to be subjected to; undergo: to take a heat treatment.
to endure or submit to with equanimity or without an appreciable weakening of one's resistance: to take a joke; unable to take punishment.
to enter into the enjoyment of (recreation, a holiday, etc.): to take a vacation.
to carry off without permission: to take something that belongs to another.
to remove: to take the pins out of one's hair.
to remove by death: The flood took many families.
to end (a life): She took her own life.
to subtract or deduct: If you take 2 from 5, that leaves 3.
to carry with one: Take your lunch with you. Are you taking an umbrella?
to convey in a means of transportation: We took them for a ride in the country.
(of a vehicle) to convey or transport: Will this bus take me across town?
(of a road, path, etc.) to serve as a means of conducting to or through some place or region: Fifth Avenue took us through the center of town. These stairs will take you up to the attic.
to bring about a change in the state or condition of: Her ambition and perseverance took her quickly to the top of her field.
to conduct or escort: to take someone out for dinner.
to set about or succeed in getting over, through, or around (some obstacle); clear; negotiate: The horse took the hedge easily. He took the corner at top speed.
to come upon suddenly; catch: to take someone by surprise.
to get or contract; catch: He took cold over the weekend. I took a chill.
to attack or affect, as with a disease: suddenly taken with a fit of coughing.
to be capable of attaining as a result of some action or treatment: Most leathers take a high polish.
to absorb or become impregnated with; be susceptible to: Waxed paper will not take ink. This cloth takes dye.
to attract and hold: The red sweater took his eye. The urgent voice took her attention.
to captivate or charm: The kitten took my fancy.
to require: It takes courage to do that. The climb took all our strength.
to employ for some specified or implied purpose: to take measures to curb drugs.
to use as a means of transportation: to take a bus to the ferry.
to get on or board (a means of transportation) at a given time or in a given place: She takes the train at Scarsdale.
to proceed to occupy: to take a seat.
to occupy; fill (time, space, etc.): His hobby takes most of his spare time. The machine takes a lot of room.
to use up; consume: This car takes a great deal of oil. He took ten minutes to solve the problem.
to avail oneself of: He took the opportunity to leave. She took the time to finish it properly.
to do, perform, execute, etc.: to take a walk.
to go into or enter: Take the next road to the left.
to adopt and enter upon (a way, course, etc.): to take the path of least resistance.
to act or perform: to take the part of the hero.
to make (a reproduction, picture, or photograph): to take home movies of the children.
to make a picture, esp. a photograph, of: The photographer took us sitting down.
to write down: to take a letter in shorthand; to take notes at a lecture.
to apply oneself to; study: to take ballet; She took four courses in her freshman year.
to deal with; treat: to take things in their proper order.
to proceed to handle in some manner: to take a matter under consideration.
to assume or undertake (a function, duty, job, etc.): The mayor took office last month.
to assume or adopt (a symbol, badge, or the like) as a token of office: to take the veil; to take the throne.
to assume the obligation of; be bound by: to take an oath.
to assume or adopt as one's own: to take someone's part in an argument; He took the side of the speaker.
to assume or appropriate as if by right: to take credit for someone else's work.
to accept the burden of: She took the blame for his failure.
to determine by inquiry, examination, measurement, scientific observation, etc.: to take someone's pulse; to take a census.
to make or carry out for purposes of yielding such a determination: to take someone's measurements; to take a seismographic reading.
to begin to have; experience (a certain feeling or state of mind): to take pride in one's appearance.
to form and hold in the mind: to take a gloomy view.
to grasp or apprehend mentally; understand; comprehend: Do you take my meaning, sir?
to understand in a specified way: You shouldn't take the remark as an insult.
to grasp the meaning of (a person): if we take him correctly.
to accept the statements of: to take him at his word.
to assume as a fact: I take it that you will be there.
to regard or consider: They were taken to be wealthy.
to capture or win (a piece, trick, etc.) in a game.
to cheat, swindle, or victimize: They really take people in that shop. The museum got taken on that painting.
to win or obtain money from: He took me for $10 in the poker game.
(of a man) to have sexual intercourse with.
to be used with (a certain form, accent, case, mood, etc.): a verb that always takes an object.
to acquire property, as on the happening of an event: They take a fortune under the will.
(of a batter) to allow (a pitch) to go by without swinging at it: He took a third strike.

—v.i.

to catch or engage, as a mechanical device: She turned the key and heard a click as the catch took.
to strike root or begin to grow, as a plant.
to adhere, as ink, dye, or color.
(of a person or thing) to win favor or acceptance: a new TV show that took with the public.
to have the intended result or effect, as a medicine, inoculation, etc.: The vaccination took.
to enter into possession, as of an estate.
to detract (usually fol. by from).
to apply or devote oneself: He took to his studies.
to make one's way; proceed; go: to take across the meadow.
to fall or become: She took sick and had to go home.
to admit of being photographed in a particular manner: a model who takes exceptionally well.
to admit of being moved or separated: This crib takes apart for easy storage.
The baby took after his mother.

to resemble (another person, as a parent) physically, temperamentally, etc.:The baby took after his mother.
Also,take off after,take out after.to follow; chase:The detective took after the burglars.

to take back one's lawn mower.

to regain possession of:to take back one's lawn mower.
to return, as for exchange:It was defective, so I took it back to the store.
to allow to return; resume a relationship with:She said she would never take him back again.
to cause to remember:It takes one back to the old days.
to retract:to take back a statement.

to take someone down a notch or two.

to move from a higher to a lower level or place.
to pull apart or take apart; dismantle; disassemble.
to write down; record.
to diminish the pride or arrogance of; humble:to take someone down a notch or two.

I took it for the truth.

to assume to be:I took it for the truth.
to assume falsely to be; mistake for:to be taken for a foreigner.

See(def. 6).
to take in a show.

to permit to enter; admit.
to alter (an article of clothing) so as to make smaller.
to provide lodging for.
to include; encompass.
to grasp the meaning of; comprehend.
to deceive; trick; cheat.
to observe; notice.
to visit or attend:to take in a show.
to furl (a sail).
to receive as proceeds, as from business activity.
Chiefly Brit.to subscribe to:to take in a magazine.

I'll take it on your say-so.

to accept or believe something; aquiesce:I'll take it on your say-so.
Informal.to be able to resist or endure hardship, abuse, etc.
to understand:I take it that you're not interested.

to accept as payment for services or as an equivalent of monetary compensation: He takes it out in goods instead of cash.
Every year the winter takes it out of me.

to exhaust; enervate:Every year the winter takes it out of me.
to exact payment from; penalize:They took it out of your pay.

to cause (someone else) to suffer for one's own misfortune or dissatisfaction: Just because you're angry with him you don't have to take it out on me!
Take off your coat.

to remove:Take off your coat.
to lead away:The child was taken off by kidnappers.
Informal.to depart; leave:They took off yesterday for California.
to leave the ground, as an airplane.
to move onward or forward with a sudden or intense burst of speed:The police car took off after the drunken driver.
to withdraw or remove from:She was taken off the night shift.
to remove by death; kill:Millions were taken off by the Black Plague.
to make a likeness or copy of; reproduce.
to subtract, as a discount; deduct:Shop early and we'll take off 20 percent.
Informal.to imitate; mimic; burlesque.
Informal.to achieve sudden, marked growth, success, etc.:Sales took off just before Christmas. The actor's career took off after his role in that movie.

to take on new responsibilities.

to hire; employ.
to undertake; assume:to take on new responsibilities.
to acquire:The situation begins to take on a new light.
to accept as a challenge; contend against:to take on a bully.
Informal.to show great emotion; become excited:There's no need to take on so.

to take out a handkerchief.

to withdraw; remove:to take out a handkerchief.
to procure by application:to take out an insurance policy.
to carry out for use or consumption elsewhere:to take a book out of the library; to get food to take out.
to escort; invite:He takes out my sister now and then.
to set out; start:They took out for the nearest beach.
Slang.to kill; destroy.

to assume management or possession of or responsibility for: The first officer took over the ship when the captain suffered a heart attack.
to take to drink.

to devote or apply oneself to; become habituated to:to take to drink.
to respond favorably to; begin to like:They took to each other at once.
to go to:to take to one's bed.
to have recourse to; resort to:She took to getting up at five to go jogging before work.

She took up painting in her spare time.

to occupy oneself with the study or practice of:She took up painting in her spare time.
to lift or pick up:He took up the fallen leaves with a rake.
to occupy; cover:A grand piano would take up half of our living room.
to consume; use up; absorb:Traveling to her job takes up a great deal of time.
to begin to advocate or support; sponsor:He has taken up another struggling artist.
to continue; resume:We took up where we had left off.
to reply to in order to reprove:The author takes up his critics in the preface of his latest book.
to assume:He took up the duties of the presidency.
to absorb:Use a sponge to take up the spilled milk.
to make shorter, as by hemming:to take up the sleeves an inch.
to make tighter, as by winding in:to take up the slack in a reel of tape.
to deal with in discussion:to take up the issue of mass transit.
to adopt seriously:to take up the idea of seeking public office.
to accept, as an offer or challenge.
to buy as much as is offered:The sale was taken up in a matter of days.
Chiefly Brit.to clear by paying off, as a loan.
Obs.to arrest (esp. a runaway slave).

to ask for or gather donations, usually of money, from a number of people.
to assume as a responsibility or obligation: She has taken it upon herself to support the family.
to become friendly with; keep company with: He took up with a bad crowd.

—n.

the act of taking.
something that is taken.
the quantity of fish, game, etc., taken at one time.
an opinion or assessment: What's your take on the candidate?
an approach; treatment: a new take on an old idea.
money taken in, esp. profits.
a portion of copy assigned to a Linotype operator or compositor, usually part of a story or article.

a scene, or a portion of a scene, photographed without any interruption or break.
an instance of such continuous operation of the camera.

a visual and mental response to something typically manifested in a stare expressing total absorption or wonderment: She did a slow take on being asked by reporters the same question for the third time.
a recording of a musical performance.
a successful inoculation.

accepting bribes.
in search of personal profit at the expense of others.

See also:

take (Thesaurus)

Takatsuki take-all

take: Meaning and Definition of

take

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