take

[[t]teɪk[/t]]

v. took, tak•en, tak•ing, n.

1) to get into one's hands or possession by voluntary action:

Take the book, please[/ex]

2) to hold, grasp, or grip:

to take a child by the hand[/ex]

3) to get into one's possession or control by force or artifice:

took the bone from the snarling dog[/ex]

4) to seize or capture:

to take a prisoner[/ex]

5) to catch or get (fish, game, etc.), esp. by killing

6) to pick from a number; select

7) to receive and accept willingly (something given or offered):

to take a bribe[/ex]

8) to receive or be the recipient of:

to take first prize[/ex]

9) to accept and act upon or comply with:

Take my advice[/ex]

10) to receive or accept (a person) into some relation:

to take someone in marriage[/ex]

11) to receive or react to in a specified manner:

She took his death hard[/ex]

12) to receive as a payment or charge

13) to get or obtain from a source; derive:

The book takes its title from Dante[/ex]

14) to extract or quote

15) to obtain or exact as compensation for a wrong:

to take revenge[/ex]

16) to receive into the body, as by swallowing or inhaling:

to take a pill; to take a deep breath[/ex]

17) to have for one's benefit or use:

to take a nap; to take a bath[/ex]

18) to use as a flavoring agent:

to take sugar in one's coffee[/ex]

19) to be subjected to; undergo:

to take a rest cure[/ex]

20) to endure or submit to with equanimity or without weakening:

unable to take punishment[/ex]

21) to enter into the enjoyment of:

Let's take a vacation[/ex]

22) to carry off without permission; steal:

to take someone's wallet[/ex]

23) to remove:

to take a coat from the closet[/ex]

24) to remove by death:

The flood took many victims[/ex]

25) to subtract or deduct:

to take 2 from 5[/ex]

26) to carry with one:

Are you taking an umbrella?[/ex]

27) to convey or transport:

We took them for a drive[/ex]

28) to serve as a means of conducting:

These stairs take you to the attic[/ex]

29) to bring about a change in the condition of:

Her talent took her to the top[/ex]

30) to escort or accompany

31) to attempt or succeed in getting over, through, or around; clear; negotiate:

The horse took the fence easily[/ex]

32) to come upon suddenly; catch:

to take a thief by surprise[/ex]

33) to attack or affect with or as if with a disease:

taken with a fit of laughter[/ex]

34) to be capable of attaining as a result of some action or treatment:

This leather takes a high polish[/ex]

35) to absorb or become impregnated with; be susceptible to:

The cloth will not take a dye[/ex]

36) to require:

It takes courage to do that[/ex]

37) to employ for some purpose:

to take measures to curb drugs[/ex]

38) to use as a means of transportation:

to take the bus to work[/ex]

39) to proceed to occupy:

Take a seat[/ex]

40) to fill (time, space, etc.); occupy:

His hobby takes most of his spare time[/ex]

41) to use up; consume:

It took ten minutes to solve the problem[/ex]

42) to avail oneself of:

I took the opportunity to leave[/ex]

43) to do, perform, execute, etc.:

to take a walk[/ex]

44) to go into or enter:

Take the road to the left[/ex]

45) to adopt and enter upon (a way, course, etc.):

to take the path of least resistance[/ex]

46) to act or perform:

to take the part of the hero[/ex]

47) pht to make (a reproduction, picture, or photograph):

to take home movies[/ex]

48) pht to make a picture, esp. a photograph, of:

The photographer took us sitting down[/ex]

49) to write down:

to take notes[/ex]

50) to apply oneself to; study:

to take a history course[/ex]

51) to deal with; treat:

to take a matter under consideration[/ex]

52) to assume or undertake (a function, duty, etc.):

The mayor took office last month[/ex]

53) to assume or adopt (a symbol, badge, etc.) as a token of office:

to take the veil[/ex]

54) to assume the obligation of; be bound by:

to take an oath[/ex]

55) to assume or adopt as one's own:

to take someone's side in an argument[/ex]

56) to accept the burden of:

to take the blame[/ex]

57) to determine by inquiry, examination, measurement, etc.:

to take someone's pulse; to take a census[/ex]

58) to have or experience (a feeling or state of mind):

to take pride in one's appearance[/ex]

59) to form and hold in the mind:

to take a gloomy view[/ex]

60) to grasp or apprehend mentally; understand:

Do you take my meaning?[/ex]

61) to understand in a specified way:

Don't take the remark as an insult[/ex]

62) to accept the statements of:

She took him at his word[/ex]

63) to assume as a fact:

I take it that you won't be there[/ex]

64) to regard or consider:

They were taken to be wealthy[/ex]

65) to consider as an example:

Take the French Revolution[/ex]

66) gam to capture or win (a piece, trick, etc.) in a game

67) inf Informal. to cheat, swindle, or victimize:

The museum got taken on that painting[/ex]

68) to win or obtain money from:

He took me for $10 in the poker game[/ex]

69) to have sexual intercourse with

70) gram. to be used with (a certain grammatical form, accent, case, etc.):

a verb that takes an object[/ex]

71) law Law. to acquire (property), as on the happening of a particular event

72) spo (of a baseball batter) to allow (a pitch) to go by without swinging at it

73) to catch or engage, as a mechanical device

74) bot to strike root or begin to grow, as a plant

75) to adhere, as ink, dye, or color

76) to win favor or acceptance

77) to have the intended result or effect:

The vaccination took[/ex]

78) law to enter into possession, as of an estate

79) to detract (usu. fol. by from)

80) to make one's way; proceed; go:

to take across the meadow[/ex]

81) to fall or become:

to take sick[/ex]

82) to admit of being photographed in a particular manner

83) phv take after

a) to resemble (another person, as a parent)

b) to follow or chase

84) phv take apart

a) to disassemble:

to take a clock apart[/ex]

b) to criticize severely; attack

c) to examine or analyze closely; dissect

85) phv take back

a) to regain possession of

b) to return, as for exchange

c) to allow to return; resume a relationship with

d) to cause to remember:

It takes me back to the old days[/ex]

e) to retract:

to take back a statement[/ex]

86) phv take down

a) to write down; record

b) to reduce the pride or arrogance of; humble:

to take someone down a peg[/ex]

87) phv take in

a) to alter (a garment) so as to make smaller or tighter

b) to provide lodging for

c) to include; encompass

d) to grasp the meaning of; comprehend

e) to deceive; trick; cheat

f) to observe; notice

g) to visit or attend:

to take in a show[/ex]

h) navig. to furl (a sail)

i) to receive as proceeds, as from business activity

88) phv take off

a) to remove:

Take off your coat[/ex]

b) to lead away

c) to leave the ground, as an airplane

d) inf to depart; leave

e) to move onward or forward with a burst of speed

f) to withdraw or remove from:

She was taken off the night shift[/ex]

g) to subtract, as a discount; deduct:

The store took off 20 percent[/ex]

h) to imitate; mimic; burlesque

i) to achieve sudden, marked growth, success, etc.:

Sales took off just before Christmas[/ex]

89) phv take on

a) to hire; employ

b) to undertake; assume

c) to acquire

d) to accept as a challenge or opponent

e) inf Informal. to show great emotion; become excited

90) phv take out

a) to withdraw; remove

b) to deduct

c) to procure by application:

to take out insurance[/ex]

d) to carry out for use or consumption elsewhere

e) to escort, as on a date

f) to set out; start

g) sts Slang. to kill or destroy

91) phv take over, to assume management or possession of or responsibility for

92) phv cvb take up

a) to occupy oneself with the study or practice of

b) to lift or pick up

c) to fill, occupy, or consume (space, time, etc.)

d) to begin to advocate or support; sponsor

e) to continue; resume

f) to raise for discussion or consideration

g) to undertake; assume

h) to absorb (a liquid)

i) to make shorter, as by hemming

j) to make tighter, as by winding in

k) to deal with

l) to adopt seriously:

to take up an idea[/ex]

m) to accept, as an offer or challenge

93) phv inf take up with, to become friendly with; keep company with

94) the act of taking

95) something that is taken

96) the quantity of fish, game, etc., taken at one time

97) inf Informal. money taken in, esp. profits

98) sbz

a) a scene in a movie or television program photographed without interruption

b) an instance of such continuous operation of a film camera

99) cvb inf Informal. a visual and mental response:

She did a slow take[/ex]

100) a recording of a musical performance

101) med a successful inoculation

102) cvb

a) an opinion or assessment:

What's your take on the candidate?[/ex]

b) an approach; treatment:

a new take on an old idea[/ex]

•

- on the take take five, ten take for take it take it out on take place take to take upon oneself

Etymology: bef. 1100; ME; late OE tacan to grasp, touch < ON taka, c. MD taken to grasp tak′er, n.