Definition of take

What does the word take mean?

• part of speech: verb transitive, intransitive

  (took, taken). Lay hold of with the hand (s) or other part of the body or with any instrument (lit. & fig.), grasp, seize, capture, catch by pursuit or surprise, captivate, win, gain, as t. it between your finger& thumb, took him by the throat, t. it up with the tongs, t. the BULL by the horns, deuce t. it!, t. BIT between teeth, t. a fortress, t. by Storm, took 113 prisoners, was taken prisoner or captive, took his bishop (at chess), t. the odd trick (at cards), takes (gains, receives in payment) £40 a week, took (gained) little by this move, took first prize, rabbit taken in trap, took (surprised, caught) him in the act or at a disadvantage, was taken ill, taken aback, what takes (captivates) my fancy, was much taken (charmed) with or by her manners, novel did not t. (become popular), vaccine did not t. (operate); assume possession of, procure e.g. by purchase, acquire, avail oneself of, use, use up, consume, require as instrument, material, agent, &c., as takes what-ever he can lay his hands on, wish you would not t. my bicycle, t. (assume or enjoy as one\'s right) precedence, took his degree, t. ORDERs, t. SILK, shall t. a holiday, (cooking direction) t. 1 oz. of curry powder, do you t. (buy regularly, subscribe to) Punch?, am not taking any (slang), decline offer, took (engaged) seats in advance, must t. lessons, lodgings, a cab, will t. (buy) 2lb., t. legal, medical, &c., advice, consult lawyer &c. (& see below), t. (as instance) the French Revolution, has taken a partner, a wife, (archaic) took to (as) wife Jane Smith, t. a BACK seat, took his seat on the railing, must t. the liberty of differing from you, must t. leave to differ, took a mean advantage, do not t. advantage (avail yourself unfairly) of his youth, t. the opportunity, will t. (drink) a cup of tea, takes too much alcohol, these things t. time, t. your time, do not hurry, it takes a lot of doing (is hard to do), takes a poet to translate Virgil; cause to come with one, carry with one, conduct, convey, remove, dispossess person &c. of, as t. the letters to the post, the dog for a walk, the children to the pantomime, the corkscrew from the shelf, takes his readers with him (engrosses their attention), t. him through (make him read) a book of Livy, took him into partnership, takes all the fun out of it, t. to TASK, t. in HAND, (see also special uses w. advv. & prepp.); catch, be infected with, (cold, fever, &c.) conceive, experience, indulge, give play to, exert, as t. offence, umbrage, t. a fancy to, takes a pride in his work, a pleasure in contradicting, t. pity on him, t. no notice, t. heed, pains, trouble; ascertain (person\'s measure, height, temperature, address, &c.) by inquiry, measurement, &c.; apprehend, grasp mentally, infer, conclude, understand, interpret, as I t. your meaning or (archaic) you, I t. this to be ironical, It. it that we are to wait here, t. person at his WORD, how would you t. (translate, interpret) this passage?, t. it for granted, assume it, do you t. me for (think me) a fool?; treat or regard in specified manner, adopt specified attitude towards, as t. things coolly, t. it easy, should t. it kindly of you (be obliged) if you would answer my letter, must not t. it ill of him (resent his conduct), t. to HEART; accept, put up with, submit to, adopt, choose, receive, derive, as t. the offer, t. what you can get, the bet was taken, I took him (his bet), must t. us as you find us, will t. no nonsense, will not t. this treatment, took it like a lamb, will not t. a hint, t. advice, act on it (& see above), you may t. it from me or t. my word for it, I, a well-informed person, assure you, t. sides, join one of two parties, t. (hold, adopt) a different view, takes its name from the inventor; perform, execute, make, undertake, negotiate, deal with, as took work for a friend, t. notes, t. a photograph, took a sudden leap, horse will not t. fence, t. a walk, t. (be examined in) the mathematical tripos, t. (conduct) the evening service, t. a glance round you, took a deep breath, t. an oath; photograph, come out well &c. when photographed, as t. him in cap& gown, does not t. well; t. account of, include in one\'s reckoning, not overlook; t. aim, direct weapon or missile (at object); t. care, be careful, be on one\'s guard, not neglect or fail, be cautious in arranging or deciding, as t. care!, t. care to leave plenty of room, t. care not to wake the baby, t. care how you speak or what you say to him; t. care of, be careful of, be in charge of; t. one\'s chance, accept risk (of); t. earth, (of fox &c., fig. of person) escape into hole; t. EFFECT, EXCEPtion, HEART (of grace), HOLD, LEAVE (of); t. one\'s life in one\'s hand, risk it; t. person\'s esp. God\'s name in vain, use it lightly or profanely; t. PART; t. place, happen; t. STOCK (of, in); t. the WALL, t. WIND. Spec. uses w. prepp., advv., & adv. phrr.: T. after, resemble (person esp. parent or relation) in character, feature, &c. T. back colloq., retract (words). T. down: write down, as t. down his name& address, took down the sermon in shorthand; humble, esp. t. person down a PEG or two; swallow (food &c.) esp. with difficulty or reluctance; remove (building, structure) by taking to pieces. T. from, diminish, lessen, weaken, as such faults do not t. from his credit as a historian. T. in: admit, receive, (lodgers, guest, &c.); receive (washing, sewing, typewriting, &c.) to be done at home; include, comprise; reduce (garment &c.) to smaller compass, furl (sail); understand, digest mentally; believe (false statement); deceive; cheat; t. (newspaper &c.) by subscription; t.-in n., a fraud, deception, piece of humbug. T. into: t. into one\'s confidence, confide in; t. into one\'s head, conceive, get hold of, (idea), imagine, adopt the belief, (that), resolve (to do). T. off: remove (clothes, hat, &c.) from the body; remove, conduct away, as took him off to the station, took himself off, went off; deduct (part of price); drink off; ridicule by imitation, mimic; jump, spring, (from, at, place); t.-off n., caricature, spot from which one jumps, (Croquet) stroke causing one\'s own ball to go forward while touching but scarcely moving another. T. on: undertake (work, responsibility); t. person on at golf &c., play with him; (colloq.) show violent emotion, make a fuss. T. out: cause to come out, bring or convey out, as t. him out for a walk, tooks must not be taken out of the library; remove (stain &c.); t. the nonsense &c. out of person, cure him of it; accept payment of (debt &c.) or compensation for (injury &c.) in, as took it out in cigars& drinks; t. it out of, have revenge on, get satisfaction from, exhaust the strength of; procure, get issued, (patent, summons, &c.). T. over, succeed to management or ownership of (business &c.). T. to: begin, fall into the habit of, begin to busy oneself with, as took to humming a tune, t. to bad habits, literature; conceive a liking for (person &c.). T. up: lift up; absorb, occupy, engage, as sponges t. up water, takes up all my time, my attention; train stops to t. up (admit) passengers; t. into custody; enter upon (profession, subject); pursue (matter, inquiry) further; secure, fasten, (dropped stitch, artery, &c.); furnish the amount of (loan &c.); t. up with, consort with; t. up the CUDGELS, GAUNTLET, GLOVE; t.-up n. (mech.), kinds of device for tightening band &c. in machine, drawing up slack of thread, removing material that has been operated on, &c. T. (it) upon or on one to, venture, presume, to. [old English]

• part of speech: noun

  Amount (of fish, game, &c.) taken or caught; (Print.) amount of copy set up at one time; takings, esp. money received at theatre for seats.

• part of speech: noun

  (Gram., of verb, preposition, &c.) require or admit of (specified case, mood, construction); t. (lady) in (to dinner), conduct from drawing-room to dining-room& sit beside; t. in hand, undertake the control or reform of (the boy wants taking in hand); t. up, (also) interrupt or correct (speaker), make a protege of.