take

I. verb (took; taken; taking) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English tacan, from Old Norse taka; akin to Middle Dutch taken to take Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. to get into one's hands or into one's possession, power, or control: as a. to seize or capture physically <

took them as prisoners

> b. to get possession of (as fish or game) by killing or capturing c. (1) to move against (as an opponent's piece in chess) and remove from play (2) to win in a card game <

able to take 12 tricks

> d. to acquire by eminent domain 2. grasp, grip <

take the ax by the handle

> 3. a. to catch or attack through the effect of a sudden force or influence <

taken with a fit of laughing

> <

taken ill

> b. to catch or come upon in a particular situation or action <

was taken unawares

> c. to gain the approval or liking of ; captivate, delight <

was quite taken with her at their first meeting

> 4. a. to receive into one's body (as by swallowing, drinking, or inhaling) <

take a pill

> b. to put oneself into (as sun, air, or water) for pleasure or physical benefit c. to partake of ; eat <

takes dinner about seven

> 5. a. to bring or receive into a relation or connection <

takes just four students a year

> <

it's time he took a wife

> b. to copulate with 6. to transfer into one's own keeping: a. appropriate <

someone took my hat

> b. to obtain or secure for use (as by lease, subscription, or purchase) <

take a cottage for the summer

> <

I'll take the red one

> <

took an ad in the paper

> 7. a. assume <

gods often took the likeness of a human being

> <

when the college took its present form

> b. (1) to enter into or undertake the duties of <

take a job

> <

take office

> (2) to move onto or into ; move into position on <

the home team took the field

> <

take the witness stand

> c. (1) to bind oneself by <

take the oath of office

> (2) to make (a decision) especially with finality or authority d. to impose upon oneself <

take the trouble to do good work

> <

take pains to make her feel welcome

> e. (1) to adopt as one's own <

take a stand on the issue

> <

take an interest

> (2) to align or ally oneself with <

mother took his side

> f. to assume as if rightfully one's own or as if granted <

take the credit

> g. to accept the burden or consequences of <

took the blame

> h. to have or assume as a proper part of or accompaniment to itself <

transitive verbs take an object

> 8. a. to secure by winning in competition <

took first place

> b. defeat 9. to pick out ; choose, select <

took the best apple

> 10. to adopt, choose, or avail oneself of for use: as a. to have recourse to as an instrument for doing something <

take a scythe to the weeds

> b. to use as a means of transportation or progression <

take the bus

> c. to have recourse to for safety or refuge <

take shelter

> d. to go along, into, or through <

took a different route

> e. (1) to proceed to occupy <

take a seat in the rear

> (2) to use up (as space or time) <

takes a long time to dry

> (3) need, require <

takes a size nine shoe

> <

it takes two to start a fight

> 11. a. to obtain by deriving from a source ; draw <

takes its title from the name of the hero

> b. (1) to obtain as the result of a special procedure ; ascertain <

take the temperature

> <

take a census

> (2) to get in or as if in writing <

take notes

> <

take an inventory

> (3) to get by drawing or painting or by photography <

take a snapshot

> (4) to get by transference from one surface to another <

take a proof

> <

take fingerprints

> 12. to receive or accept whether willingly or reluctantly <

take a bribe

> <

will you take this call

> <

take a bet

>: as a. (1) to submit to ; endure <

take a cut in pay

> (2) withstand <

it will take a lot of punishment

> (3) suffer <

took a direct hit

> b. (1) to accept as true ; believe <

I'll take your word for it

> (2) follow <

take my advice

> (3) to accept or regard with the mind in a specified way <

took the news hard

> <

you take yourself too seriously

> c. to indulge in and enjoy <

was taking his ease on the porch

> d. to receive or accept as a return (as in payment, compensation, or reparation) <

we don't take credit cards

> e. to accept in a usually professional relationship — often used with on <

agreed to take him on as a client

> f. to refrain from hitting at (a pitched ball) <

take a strike

> 13. a. (1) to let in ; admit <

the boat was taking water fast

> (2) accommodate <

the suitcase wouldn't take another thing

> b. to be affected injuriously by (as a disease) ; contract <

take cold

>; also to be seized by <

take a fit

> <

take fright

> c. to absorb or become impregnated with (as dye); also to be effectively treated by <

a surface that takes a fine polish

> 14. a. apprehend, understand <

how should I take your remark

> b. consider, suppose <

I take it you're not going

> c. reckon, accept <

taking a stride at 30 inches

> d. feel, experience <

take pleasure

> <

take an instant dislike to someone

> <

take offense

> 15. a. to lead, carry, or cause to go along to another place <

this bus will take you into town

> <

took an umbrella with her

> b. to cause to move to a specified state, condition, or sphere of activity <

took the company public

> <

took his team to the finals

> c. to stop prescribing a specified regimen to — used with off <

took him off the medication

> 16. a. remove <

take eggs from a nest

> b. (1) to put an end to (life) (2) to remove by death <

was taken in his prime

> c. subtract <

take two from four

> d. exact <

the weather took its toll

> 17. a. to undertake and make, do, or perform <

take a walk

> <

take aim

> <

take legal action

> <

take a test

> <

take a look

> b. to participate in <

take a meeting

> 18. a. to deal with <

take first things first

> b. to consider or view in a particular relation <

taken together, the details were significant

>; especially to consider as an example <

take style, for instance

> c. (1) to apply oneself to the study of <

take music lessons

> <

take French

> (2) to study for especially successfully <

taking a degree in engineering

> <

took holy orders

> 19. to obtain money from especially fraudulently <

took me for all I had

> 20. to pass or attempt to pass through, along, or over <

took the curve too fast

> <

take the stairs two at a time

> intransitive verb 1. to obtain possession: as a. capture b. to receive property under law as one's own 2. to lay hold ; catch, hold 3. to establish a take especially by uniting or growing <

90 percent of the grafts take

> 4. a. to betake oneself ; set out ; go <

take after a purse snatcher

> b. chiefly dialect — used as an intensifier or redundantly with a following verb <

took and swung at the ball

> 5. a. to take effect ; act, operate <

hoped the lesson he taught would take

> b. to show the natural or intended effect <

dry fuel takes readily

> 6. charm, captivate <

a taking smile

> 7. detract 8. to be seized or attacked in a specified way ; become <

took sick

> • taker noun Synonyms: take, seize, grasp, clutch, snatch, grab mean to get hold of by or as if by catching up with the hand. take is a general term applicable to any manner of getting something into one's possession or control <

take some salad from the bowl

>. seize implies a sudden and forcible movement in getting hold of something tangible or an apprehending of something fleeting or elusive when intangible <

seized the suspect

>. grasp stresses a laying hold so as to have firmly in possession <

grasp the handle and pull

>. clutch suggests avidity or anxiety in seizing or grasping and may imply less success in holding <

clutching her purse

>. snatch suggests more suddenness or quickness but less force than seize <

snatched a doughnut and ran

>. grab implies more roughness or rudeness than snatch <

grabbed roughly by the arm

>. II. noun Date: 1654 1. something that is taken: a. the amount of money received ; proceeds, receipts, income b. share, cut <

wanted a bigger take

> c. the number or quantity (as of animals, fish, or pelts) taken at one time ; catch, haul d. a section or installment done as a unit or at one time e. (1) a scene filmed or televised at one time without stopping the camera (2) a sound recording made during a single recording period; especially a trial recording 2. an act or the action of taking: as a. the action of killing, capturing, or catching (as game or fish) b. (1) the uninterrupted photographing or televising of a scene (2) the making of a sound recording 3. a. a local or systemic reaction indicative of successful vaccination (as against smallpox) b. a successful union (as of a graft) 4. a visible response or reaction (as to something unexpected) <

a delayed take

> 5. a distinct or personal point of view, outlook, or assessment <

was asked for her take on recent developments

>; also a distinct treatment or variation <

a new take on an old style

>