TAKE
—verb. (-king; past took; past part. Taken) 1 lay hold of; get into one`s hands. 2 acquire, capture, earn, or win. 3 get by purchase, hire, or formal agreement (take lodgings; took a taxi). 4 (in a recipe) use. 5 regularly buy (a newspaper etc.). 6 obtain after qualifying (take a degree). 7 occupy (take a chair). 8 make use of (take the next turning on the left; take the bus). 9 consume (food or medicine). 10 a be effective (inoculation did not take). B (of a plant, seed, etc.) Begin to grow. 11 require or use up (will only take a minute). 12 carry or accompany (take the book home; bus will take you). 13 remove; steal (someone has taken my pen). 14 catch or be infected with (fire or fever etc.). 15 a experience, seek, or be affected by (take fright; take pleasure). B exert (take no notice). 16 find out and note (took his address; took her temperature). 17 understand; assume (i took you to mean yes). 18 treat, deal with, or regard in a specified way (took it badly; took the corner too fast). 19 (foll. By for) regard as being (do you take me for an idiot?). 20 a accept, receive (take the offer; take a call; takes boarders). B hold (takes 3 pints). C submit to; tolerate (take a joke). 21 wear (takes size 10). 22 choose or assume (took a job; took the initiative). 23 derive (takes its name from the inventor). 24 (foll. By from) subtract (take 3 from 9). 25 perform or effect (take notes; take an oath; take a look). 26 occupy or engage oneself in (take a rest). 27 conduct (took prayers). 28 teach, be taught, or be examined in (a subject). 29 a make (a photograph). B photograph (a person etc.). 30 (in imper.) Use as an example (take napoleon). 31 gram. Have or require as part of a construction (this verb takes an object). 32 have sexual intercourse with (a woman). 33 (in passive; foll. By by, with) be attracted or charmed by. —none. 1 amount taken or caught at a time etc. 2 scene or film sequence photographed continuously at one time. ? be taken ill become ill, esp. Suddenly. Have what it takes colloq. Have the necessary qualities etc. For success. Take account of see *account. Take advantage of see *advantage. Take after resemble (a parent etc.). Take against begin to dislike. Take aim see *aim. Take apart 1 dismantle. 2 colloq. Beat or defeat. 3 colloq. Criticize severely. Take away 1 remove or carry elsewhere. 2 subtract. 3 buy (hot food etc.) For eating elsewhere. Take back 1 retract (a statement). 2 convey to an original position. 3 carry in thought to a past time. 4 a return (goods) to a shop. B (of a shop) accept such goods. 5 accept (a person) back into one`s affections, into employment, etc. Take the biscuit (or bun or cake) colloq. Be the most remarkable. Take down 1 write down (spoken words). 2 remove or dismantle. 3 lower (a garment worn below the waist). Take effect see *effect. Take for granted see *grant. Take fright see *fright. Take heart be encouraged. Take in 1 receive as a lodger etc. 2 undertake (work) at home. 3 make (a garment etc.) Smaller. 4 understand; observe (did you take that in?). 5 cheat. 6 include. 7 colloq. Visit (a place) on the way to another (took in bath). 8 absorb into the body. Take in hand 1 undertake; start doing or dealing with. 2 undertake to control or reform (a person). Take into account see *account. Take it 1 (often foll. By that) assume. 2 colloq. Endure in a specified way (took it badly). Take it easy see *easy. Take it into one`s head see *head. Take it on one (or oneself) (foll. By to + infin.) Venture or presume. Take it or leave it (esp. In imper.) Accept it or not. Take it out of 1 exhaust the strength of. 2 have revenge on. Take it out on relieve one`s frustration by treating aggressively.