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.

Informal . 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

(of a man) to have sexual intercourse with.

Grammar . to be used with (a certain form, accent, case, mood, etc.)

a verb that always takes an object.

Law . to acquire property, as on the happening of an event

They take a fortune under the will.

Baseball . (of a batter) to allow (a pitch) to go by without swinging at it

He took a third strike.

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 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.

Informal . money taken in, esp. profits.

Journalism . a portion of copy assigned to a Linotype operator or compositor, usually part of a story or article.

Movies .

a scene, or a portion of a scene, photographed without any interruption or break.

an instance of such continuous operation of the camera.

Informal . 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.

Medicine/Medical . a successful inoculation. ?

take after,

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.

take back,

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.

take down,

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.

take for,

to assume to be

I took it for the truth.

to assume falsely to be; mistake for

to be taken for a foreigner.

take in,

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 British . to subscribe to

to take in a magazine.

take off,

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.

take on,

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.

take out,

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.

take over, to assume management or possession of or responsibility for

The first officer took over the ship when the captain suffered a heart attack.

take to,

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.

take up,

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 British . to clear by paying off, as a loan.

Obsolete . to arrest (esp. a runaway slave).

take up with, Informal . to become friendly with; keep company with

He took up with a bad crowd.

on the take

Slang .

accepting bribes.

in search of personal profit at the expense of others.

take for granted. grant ( def. 10 ) .

take it

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.

take it out in

to accept as payment for services or as an equivalent of monetary compensation

He takes it out in goods instead of cash.

take it out of

to exhaust; enervate

Every year the winter takes it out of me.

to exact payment from; penalize

They took it out of your pay.

take it out on

Informal . 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 up a collection, to ask for or gather donations, usually of money

from a number of people.

take upon oneself

to assume as a responsibility or obligation

She has taken it upon herself to support the family.

verb

refuse , reject

verb

acquire , add , address oneself to , adopt , agree to do , annex , append , attempt , become , begin , come to have , commence , develop , embrace , employ , endeavor , engage , enlist , enroll , espouse , handle , have a go at , hire , launch , put on , retain , set about , tackle , take in hand , take up , take upon oneself , try , turn , undertake , venture , attack , battle , contend , contest , encounter , face , fight , match , meet , oppose , pit , vie , brave , buck * , call out , confront , dare , defy , denounce , dispute , face off , go eyeball to eyeball with , go one on one with , go toe to toe with , go up against , hang in , insist upon , investigate , invite competition , make a stand , object to , question , stand up to , throw down the gauntlet * , take