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Meaning of take in English

  1. Pronunciation

    /teɪk/

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  1. Verb

    take

    Etymology

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

    Definitions

    1. carry out

    Examples

    • « take action »
    • « take steps »
    • « take vengeance »
  2. 2. as of time or space

    Examples

    • « It took three hours to get to work this morning »
    • « This event occupied a very short time »
  3. 3. take somebody somewhere

    Examples

    • « We lead him to our chief »
    • « can you take me to the main entrance? »
    • « He conducted us to the palace »
  4. 4. get into one's hands, take physically

    Examples

    • « Take a cookie! »
    • « Can you take this bag, please »
  5. 5. take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect

    Examples

    • « His voice took on a sad tone »
    • « The story took a new turn »
    • « he adopted an air of superiority »
    • « She assumed strange manners »
    • « The gods assume human or animal form in these fables »
  6. 6. interpret something in a certain way

    Examples

    • « convey a particular meaning or impression »
    • « I read this address as a satire »
    • « How should I take this message? »
    • « You can't take credit for this! »
  7. 7. take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

    Examples

    • « Bring me the box from the other room »
    • « Take these letters to the boss »
    • « This brings me to the main point »
  8. 8. take into one's possession

    Examples

    • « We are taking an orphan from Romania »
    • « I'll take three salmon steaks »

    Antonyms

    • give
  9. 9. require as useful, just, or proper

    Examples

    • « It takes nerve to do what she did »
    • « success usually requires hard work »
    • « This job asks a lot of patience and skill »
    • « This position demands a lot of personal sacrifice »
    • « This dinner calls for a spectacular dessert; »

    Antonyms

    • obviate
    • rid of
    • eliminate
  10. 10. pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

    Examples

    • « Take any one of these cards »
    • « Choose a good husband for your daughter »
    • « She selected a pair of shoes from among the dozen the salesgirl had shown her »
  11. 11. travel or go by means of a certain kind of transportation, or a certain route

    Examples

    • « He takes the bus to work »
    • « She takes Route 1 to Newark »
  12. 12. receive willingly something given or offered

    Examples

    • « The only girl who would have him was the miller's daughter »
    • « I won't have this dog in my house! »
    • « Please accept my present »

    Antonyms

    • refuse
    • reject
    • pass up
    • turn down
    • decline
  13. 13. assume, as of positions or roles

    Examples

    • « She took the job as director of development »
  14. 14. take into consideration for exemplifying purposes

    Examples

    • « Take the case of China »
    • « Consider the following case »
  15. 15. experience or feel or submit to

    Examples

    • « Take a test »
    • « Take the plunge »
  16. 16. make a film or photograph of something

    Examples

    • « take a scene »
    • « shoot a movie »
  17. 17. remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, taking off, etc. or remove something abstract

    Examples

    • « remove a threat »
    • « remove a wrapper »
    • « Remove the dirty dishes from the table »
    • « take the gun from your pocket »
    • « This machine withdraws heat from the envir »
  18. 18. serve oneself to, or consume regularly

    Examples

    • « Have another bowl of chicken soup! »
    • « I don't take sugar in my coffee »

    Antonyms

    • abstain
    • refrain
    • desist
  19. 19. accept or undergo, often unwillingly

    Examples

    • « We took a pay cut »
  20. 20. make use of or accept for some purpose

    Examples

    • « take a risk »
    • « take an opportunity »
  21. 21. take by force

    Examples

    • « Hitler took the Baltic Republics »
    • « The army took the fort on the hill »
  22. 22. occupy or take on

    Examples

    • « He assumes the lotus position »
    • « She took her seat on the stage »
    • « We took our seats in the orchestra »
    • « She took up her position behind the tree »
    • « strike a pose »
  23. 23. admit into a group or community

    Examples

    • « accept students for graduate study »
    • « We'll have to vote on whether or not to admit a new member »
  24. 24. ascertain or determine by measuring, computing or take a reading from a dial

    Examples

    • « take a pulse »
    • « A reading was taken of the earth's tremors »
  25. 25. be a student of a certain subject

    Examples

    • « She is reading for the bar exam »
  26. 26. take as an undesirable consequence of some event or state of affairs

    Examples

    • « the accident claimed three lives »
    • « The hard work took its toll on her »
  27. 27. head into a specified direction

    Examples

    • « The escaped convict took to the hills »
    • « We made for the mountains »
  28. 28. aim or direct at

    Examples

    • « as of blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment »
    • « Please don't aim at your little brother! »
    • « He trained his gun on the burglar »
    • « Don't train your camera on the women »
    • « Take a swipe at one's opponent »
  29. 29. be seized or affected in a specified way

    Examples

    • « take sick »
    • « be taken drunk »
  30. 30. have with oneself

    Examples

    • « have on one's person »
    • « She always takes an umbrella »
    • « I always carry money »
    • « She packs a gun when she goes into the mountains »
  31. 31. engage for service under a term of contract

    Examples

    • « We took an apartment on a quiet street »
    • « Let's rent a car »
    • « Shall we take a guide in Rome? »
  32. 32. receive or obtain by regular payment

    Examples

    • « We take the Times every day »
  33. 33. buy, select

    Examples

    • « I'll take a pound of that sausage »
  34. 34. to get into a position of having, e.g., safety, comfort

    Examples

    • « take shelter from the storm »
  35. 35. have sex with

    Examples

    • « archaic use »
    • « He had taken this woman when she was most vulnerable »
  36. 36. lay claim to

    Examples

    • « as of an idea »
    • « She took credit for the whole idea »

    Antonyms

    • disclaim
  37. 37. be designed to hold or take

    Examples

    • « This surface will not take the dye »
  38. 38. be capable of holding or containing

    Examples

    • « This box won't take all the items »
    • « The flask holds one gallon »
  39. 39. develop a habit

    Examples

    • « He took to visiting bars »
  40. 40. proceed along in a vehicle

    Examples

    • « We drive the turnpike to work »
  41. 41. obtain by winning

    Examples

    • « Winner takes all »
    • « He took first prize »
  42. 42. be stricken by an illness, fall victim to an illness

    Examples

    • « He got AIDS »
    • « She came down with pneumonia »
    • « She took a chill »
  43. Noun

    take

    Definitions

    1. the income arising from land or other property

    Examples

    • « the average return was about 5% »
  44. 2. the act of photographing a scene or part of a scene without interruption

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