take after
To follow as an example.
To resemble in appearance,temperament,or character.
take apart
To divide into parts after disassembling.
To dissect or analyze (a theory,for example),usually in an effort to discover hidden or innate flaws or weaknesses.
Slang To beat up; thrash.
take back
To retract (something stated or written).
take down
To bring to a lower position from a higher one.
To take apart; dismantle:take down the Christmas tree.
To lower the arrogance or the self-esteem of (a person):really took him down during the debate.
To put down in writing.
take for
To regard as:Do you take me for a fool?
To consider mistakenly:Don't take silence for approval.
take in
To grant admittance to; receive as a guest or an employee.
To reduce in size; make smaller or shorter:took in the waist on the pair of pants.
To include or constitute.
To understand:couldn't take in the meaning of the word.
To deceive or swindle:was taken in by a confidence artist.
To look at thoroughly; view:took in the sights.
To accept (work) to be done in one's house for pay:took in typing.
To convey (a prisoner) to a police station.
take off
To remove,as clothing:take one's coat off; take off one's galoshes.
To release:took the brake off.
To deduct as a discount:took 20 percent off.
To carry off or away.
Slang To go off; leave:took off in a hurry.To achieve wide use or popularity:a new movie that really took off.
To rise into the air or begin flight:The plane took off on time.
To discontinue:took off the commuter special.
To withhold service due,as from one's work:I'm taking off three days during May.
take on
To undertake or begin to handle:took on extra responsibilities.
To hire; engage:took on more workers during the harvest.
To oppose in competition:a wrestler who took on all comers.
Informal To display violent or passionate emotion:Don't take on so!
To acquire (an appearance,for example) as or as if one's own:Over the years he has taken on the look of a banker.
take out
To extract; remove:took the splinter out.
To secure (a license,for example) by application to an authority.
Informal To escort,as a date.
To give vent to:Don't take your frustration out in such an aggressive manner.
To obtain as an equivalent in a different form:took out the money owed in services.
Informal To begin a course; set out:The police took out after the thieves.
Slang To kill; murder:Two snipers took out an enemy platoon.To search for and destroy in an armed attack or other such encounter:Combat pilots,flying low to avoid radar,took out the guerrilla leader's bunker in a single mission.
take over
To assume control,management,or responsibility.
To assume the control or management of or the responsibility for:She took over the job after he left.
To become dominant:Our defense took over in the second half of the game.
take to
To have recourse to; go to,as for safety:took to the woods.
To develop as a habit or a steady practice:take to drink.
To become fond of or attached to:“Two keen minds that they are,they took to each other” (Jack Kerouac).
take up
To raise; lift.
To reduce in size; shorten or tighten:take up a gown.
To pay off (an outstanding debt,mortgage,or note).
To accept (an option,bet,or challenge) as offered.
To begin again; resume:Let's take up where we left off.
To use up,consume,or occupy:The extra duties took up most of my time.
To develop an interest in or devotion to:take up mountain climbing.
To deal with:Let's take up each problem one at a time.
To assume:took up a friendly attitude.
To absorb or adsorb:crops taking up nutrients.
To enter into (a profession or business):took up engineering.
Idioms:
on the take Informal
Taking or seeking to take bribes or illegal income:“There were policemen on the take” (Scott Turow).
take a bath Informal
To experience serious financial loss:“Small investors who latched on to hot new issues took a bath in Wall Street” (Paul A.Samuelson).
take account of
To take into consideration.
take away from
To detract from:Drab curtains took away from the otherwise lovely room.
take care
To be careful:Take care or you will slip on the ice.
take care of
To assume responsibility for the maintenance,support,or treatment of.
take charge
To assume control or command.
take effect
To become operative,as under law or regulation:The curfew takes effect at midnight.
To produce the desired reaction:The antibiotics at last began to take effect.
take exception
To express opposition by argument; object to:took exception to the prosecutor's line of questioning.
take five/ten Slang
To take a short rest or break,as of five or ten minutes.
take for granted
To consider as true,real,or forthcoming; anticipate correctly.
To underestimate the value of:a publisher who took the editors for granted.
take heart
To be confident or courageous.
take hold
To seize,as by grasping.
To become established:The newly planted vines quickly took hold.
take it
To understand; assume:As I take it,they won't accept the proposal.
Informal To endure abuse,criticism,or other harsh treatment:If you can dish it out,you've got to learn to take it.
take it on the chin Slang
To endure punishment,suffering,or defeat.
take it or leave it
To accept or reject unconditionally.
take it out on Informal
To abuse (someone) in venting one's own anger.
take kindly to
To be receptive to:take kindly to constructive criticism.
To be naturally attracted or fitted to; thrive on.
take lying down Informal
To submit to harsh treatment with no resistance:refused to take the snub lying down.
take notice of
To pay attention to.
take (one's) breath away
To put into a state of awe or shock.
take (one's) time
To act slowly or at one's leisure.
take place
To happen; occur.
take root
To become established or fixed.
To become rooted.
take shape
To take on a distinctive form.
take sick
Chiefly Southern U.S.To become ill.
take sides
To associate with and support a particular faction,group,cause,or person.
take stock
To take an inventory.
To make an estimate or appraisal,as of resources or of oneself.
take stock in
To trust,believe in,or attach importance to.
take the bench Law
To assume a judicial position.
take the cake
To be the most outrageous or disappointing.
To win the prize; be outstanding.
take the count
To be defeated.
Sports To be counted out in boxing.
take the fall/hit Slang
To incur blame or censure,either willingly or unwillingly:a senior official who took the fall for the failed intelligence operation.
take the floor
To rise to deliver a formal speech,as to an assembly.
take the heat Slang
To incur and endure heavy censure or criticism:had a reputation for being able to take the heat in a crisis.
take to the cleaners Slang
To take all the money or possessions of,especially by outsmarting or swindling.
take up for
To support (a person or group,for example) in an argument.
take up the cudgels
To join in a dispute,especially in defense of a participant.
take up with Informal
To begin to associate with; consort with:took up with a fast crowd.