take
I. \ˈtāk\transitive verb
(took \ˈtu̇k, dial ˈtək\ ; or dialect tak·en \ˈtākən sometimes -k^əŋ\ ; taken \“\ ; or dialect took or chiefly Scottish tane \ˈtān\ ; taking ; takes)
Etymology: Middle English taken, from Old English tacan, from Old Norse taka; akin to Middle Dutch taken to take, Gothic tekan to touch
1. : to get into one's hands or into one's possession, power, or control by force or stratagem: as
 a. : to seize or capture physically (as men, munitions, works, or territory in war, a person charged with an offense, or a piece of property by legal process)
  < took 300 of the enemy's men and a dozen of his cannon >
  < believed they could take the fort in about three days >
  < was taken by the police within three hours of the crime >
  < took the town and carried off what wine and oil it contained — C.L.Jones >
 b.
  (1) : to get possession of (as fish or game) by killing or capturing
   < eighty percent of the whales today are taken in the Antarctic — Mary H. Vorse >
   < the nets by which the bats were to be taken — R.L.Ditmars & A.M.Greenhall >
   < took many nice fish — Alexander MacDonald >
   < had never more than three or four pellets in them … for he took them upon the very edge of the shot pattern — William Humphrey >
   < proclamation governing the taking of upland game birds and deer — N. Dak. Hunting Regulations >
   — sometimes used to include acts in attempt to kill or capture
   < the word take as used in this Act means hunt, shoot, pursue, lure, kill, destroy, capture, trap or ensnare, or to attempt so to do — Illinois Game & Fish Codes >
  (2) : to seize as prey
   < tales of children taken by tigers >
 c. : to capture or secure (as an opponent's piece in chess or card in bridge) in order to remove from play
  < took his opponent's queen on the fourth move >
 also : to serve to capture
  < planned to let his rook take the knight >
  < ace takes the king >
 d. : to seize or destroy (property) for public purposes : acquire title by eminent domain : confiscate
 e.
  (1) : to catch or field (as a batted ball) in baseball or cricket
   < take it on the fly >
   < took it on the first hop >
  (2) : to catch (a batsman) out in cricket
   < was taken in the slips >
2.
 a. : to lay or get hold of with arms, hands, or fingers or with a hand or an instrument : grasp, grip
  < take the ax by the handle >
  < take the book in your right hand >
  < always took his hand when they crossed the street >
  < took his sleeve to guide him >
  < took him by the shoulders and shook him soundly >
  < dentist took the tooth in his forceps >
  < took the child in her arms to comfort it >
  < take the railing as you go down >
 b. : to catch hold upon (as by contact or adhesion)
  < sound of a ship taking the ground >
  < oars rhythmically taking the water >
3.
 a. : to catch, seize, or attack through the effect of a sudden force or influence: as
  (1) : to seize or attack so as to have an effect upon
   < was taken with a fit of laughing >
   < was suddenly taken with a need for companionship >
   < liked to work as the humor took him >
   < toward morning he was taken with frenzy and leaped from bed — J.A.Michener >
   < seemed to be taken with a great restlessness — S.H.Holbrook >
  (2) : to strike or affect so as to cause to be in a particular condition
   < was taken ill >
   < found himself taken hoarse >
   < was taken down with pneumonia >
  (3) : to attack through magical or supernatural forces : cast a spell on : use malign influence over
   < blasts the tree and takes the cattle — Shakespeare >
 b. : to catch or come upon (as a person) in a particular situation or action
  < question took him unprepared >
  < was taken unawares >
  < tried to take him napping >
  < took him in the very act >
 c. : to strike or hit (as a person) usually in or on a specified part
  < a straight left-hander that took him on the broad chin — Arthur Morrison >
  < took the boy a smart box on the ear >
 d.
  (1) : to capture or gain the approval or liking of : captivate, charm, delight
   < performance that seemed to have taken the fancy of the crowd >
   — usually used with with
   < was much taken with him at their first meeting >
   < so taken with the decorations that she decided to copy them >
   or sometimes with by
   < quite taken by their concern for his comfort >
  (2) : to catch and hold (as the attention, interest, regard) often for only a short time
   < took his attention momentarily >
   < kind of thing that takes one's eye >
4.
 a. : to get into one's hand or one's hold or possession by a physical act of simple transference
  < I take my pen in hand >
  < took his hat and coat and left >
  < reached over and took a piece of bread >
  < took a cigar and lit it >
  < took the youngster on her lap >
  < took a stake and pounded it in the ground >
 b.
  (1) : to introduce or receive into one's body (as by eating, drinking, or inhaling)
   < had taken no food for three days >
   < take a glass of water >
   < take snuff >
   < takes the smoke into his lungs >
   < take one tablet after each meal >
   < took poison >
   < killed himself by taking gas >
   < communed with spirits while taking tobacco and a narcotic herb — J.H.Steward >
   < label reading “this medicine is not to be taken internally” >
   < took his bottle well and had gained back to birth weight — E.F.Patton >
  (2) : to expose oneself to (as sun or air) for pleasure or for physical benefit
   < taking the sun on the beach before the little teahouse — Hamilton Basso >
   < piers … where families in the neighborhood could take the river air in warm weather — Brooks Atkinson >
  (3) : to partake of (as a meal) : eat, drink
   < the audience would take tea there — Virginia Woolf >
   < took supper with an English earl — F.B.Gipson >
   < residents are required to take their meals in the houses >
   < takes dinner about six >
5.
 a.
  (1) : to bring or receive into a relation or connection
   < took his son into the firm >
   < wouldn't take me into his confidence >
   < takes a few private pupils >
   < was reduced to taking lodgers >
   < time he took a wife >
   < the stupid bride he means to take — Carl Van Doren >
   < took a squaw to wife — Burges Johnson >
   < serve you right if she took a lover — Guy McCrone >
  (2) : to receive into one's household for provision and care or to adopt
   < took her dead brother's youngest child >
   < married children arranged to take their father a month at a time >
   < agreed to take a war orphan >
 b. : to copulate with
6. : to transfer into one's own keeping : enter into or arrange for possession, ownership, or use of:
 a. : appropriate
  < took the umbrella to keep it from being lost or stolen >
  < if nobody wants this, I'll take it >
  < found that somebody had taken his hat >
  < accused me of taking his camera >
  < had been taking money out of the till for months >
 b.
  (1) : to obtain or secure for use (as by lease, subscription, or contract)
   < take a cottage for the summer >
   < take a box at the opera >
   < family takes several magazines >
   < take two quarts of milk every other day >
  (2) : to obtain by purchasing : buy
   < spent an hour looking around but didn't take anything >
   < finally decided to take a blue serge suit >
   < wanted to take the ranch house but his wife wouldn't agree >
   < salesman tried to persuade him to take the convertible >
7. : to adopt or lay hold of for oneself or as one's own : assume: as
 a.
  (1) : to invest oneself with (as a property or an attribute)
   < butter often takes the flavor of substances near it >
   < fog took ghostly shapes >
   < ancient Greek gods often took the likeness of a human being >
   < unconsciously he took color from his environment — V.L.Parrington >
   < take different shapes on different occasions — Curtis Bok >
  also : to assume a property or attribute of
   < the plaster took the mold in perfect detail >
  (2) : to assume as a badge or symbol (as of a function or an office)
   < take the veil of a nun >
   < asked him to take the gavel >
   < had taken the throne at twenty >
 b. : to charge oneself with (as a duty, obligation, or task) : undertake
  < take office >
  < take service under a foreign flag >
  < take the responsibility for keeping order >
  < each teacher must take the study hall once every week >
 specifically : to assume responsibility for checking the effectiveness of (a player on an opposing team) on a given play
  < our right end takes defensive fullback — A.E.Neale >
 c.
  (1) : to subject oneself to : bind oneself by
   < take a vow >
   < take a pledge >
   < take my oath he hasn't grown an inch — New Yorker >
   < took oath as president on December 1st — Virginia Prewett >
  (2) obsolete : to make oneself responsible for the truth of (as a statement) : affirm, swear — used with it
   < took't upon mine honor thou hadst it not — Shakespeare >
 d.
  (1) : to undertake and perform or exercise
   < take the role of the villain >
   < took an important part in the negotiations >
   < the teacher who took the third grade last year >
   < take soprano >
   < had to take three sections of freshman English >
   < curate took the early morning service >
  (2) : to give or impose upon oneself (as special or added responsibility) as part of or in the course of something undertaken or done — used chiefly in the phrase take pains or take the trouble
   < man who is willing to take the trouble to do good work >
   < have taken pains with the documentation — Van Wyck Brooks >
   < took no pains to soften their footsteps — Jean Stafford >
   < few of our statesmen can have taken so little pains to keep themselves in the public eye — G.M.Young >
 e. : to adopt (as another's part or side) as one's own : align or ally oneself with
  < knew that his mother would take his side >
  — often used in the phrase take sides
  < members take sides against each other in all public affairs — A.C.Whitehead >
 f. : to adopt or advance as one's fundamental point of argument or defense
  < a point well taken >
  < took his stand on judicial incorruptibility >
 g. : to assume as if rightfully one's own or as if granted : arrogate to oneself
  < take the credit >
  < take the liberty of disagreeing >
  < took my consent for granted >
  < take leave to protest >
 h. : to have or assume as a proper part of or accompaniment to itself : be formed or used with
  < takes an accent on the last syllable >
  < takes an s in the plural >
  < transitive verbs take an object >
  < takes the objective case >
  < plural noun takes a plural verb >
8.
 a. : to secure by winning in competition : win
  < took six tricks in a row >
  < took the fight by a knockout >
  < took first place in the broad jump >
  < took the Latin prize for two years >
  < was lucky to take one game out of four >
  < took first-class honors in history — Current Biography >
  < took ribbons for his vegetables — Lamp >
 b. : to win over (as an opponent) : beat, defeat
  < took him in straight sets >
  < bragged that he could take the new marshal — J.W.Schaefer >
9. : to pick out : choose, select
 < was told to take the road bearing left at the fork >
 < always took the middle course if there was one >
 < let him take his pick >
 < take any number from one to ten >
10. : to adopt, choose, or avail oneself of for use : have recourse to and use
 < take the first opportunity >
 < took every means he could think of >
 < was forced to take severe measures >
as
 a. : to have recourse to as an instrument for doing something
  < had taken his belt to the disobedient boy >
  < nothing to do with the weeds but take a scythe to them >
 b. : to use as a means of transportation or progression
  < could take the subway to work >
  < took a freighter to Europe >
  < usually took the car >
  < he takes airplanes, but his wife won't fly — Philip Hamburger >
  < insisted on taking a taxi all the way — Christopher Isherwood >
 also : to go aboard or mount (as something providing such transportation) : board
  < always took the train at the main station >
  < had taken horse and ridden into the fields — J.H.Wheelwright >
  < just before I took ship at New York for Sweden — Sinclair Lewis >
  < takes the train every morning at 6:45 >
 c. : to have recourse to (as a place) especially for safety or refuge
  < take shelter >
  < take sanctuary >
  < take harbor >
  < had one look at the bear and then took the nearest tree >
  < could often take refuge from his humiliation in a sort of dignity — Elizabeth Bowen >
  < take cover behind prejudices and theories — Roger Fry >
 d. : to enter upon or into in order to go along or through
  < wished he could take a paved road >
  < every single plane … fit to take the air — Ira Wolfert >
  < readying the boat to take the water >
 e.
  (1) : to proceed to occupy (as a place or position)
   < take a seat in the rear >
   < took the nearest chair >
   < took his place in the procession >
   < was unwilling to take the center of the stage >
   < always ready to take the spotlight >
   < took the chair in the absence of the regular chairman >
  (2) : to use up (as space by filling or time by consuming)
   < take enough time to be sure >
   < doesn't take much room >
   < took a long time to dry out >
  (3) : need, require
   < takes a size nine shoe >
   < job took more attention than he could give >
   < took two men to keep the tub filled — H.A.Chippendale >
   < a good long letter (took two postage stamps) — Walt Whitman >
   < took the baroque age to invent, and to respect, the … periwig — Gilbert Highet >
   < getting to the right place at the right time … takes a bit of doing — Nevil Shute >
11.
 a. : to obtain by deriving from a source : draw
  < takes its title from the name of the hero >
  < family probably took its name from the place where it lived >
  < took his design from natural rock formations >
  < takes his good looks from his mother >
  < took his text from the Old Testament >
  < took his subject from his own experience >
 as
  (1) : to extract and use over again (as for quoting or adapting) : borrow
   < took his plot from an old folk tale >
   < retorted with a line taken verbatim from Shakespeare >
   < our habit of taking words from other languages — Thomas Pyles >
  (2) : to obtain from a natural source
   < coal used is imported … while the limestone is taken from the company's own quarries — N.R.Heiden >
 b.
  (1) : to obtain as the result of a special procedure (as of observation, examination, or inquiry) : ascertain
   < take the temperature >
   < take the dimensions of a room >
   < tailor took his measurements >
   < take a census >
   < took the opinion of the group >
  also : to carry out (a procedure yielding such a result) : conduct
   < take an observation of the sun >
   < take a test of its efficiency >
   < take a poll >
   < take a vote >
  (2) : to get in writing : write down
   < take notes >
   < take the attendance >
   < take minutes of a meeting >
   < take an inventory >
   < take a copy of a will >
   — often used with down
   < take down a speech in shorthand >
   < took down the principal points >
   < sent for a stenographer to take down his confession >
  (3) : to get by drawing or painting or especially by photography : make or execute a picture of : represent or portray in any artistic form; especially : to make a photograph of : photograph
   < likes to take pictures >
   < take a snapshot >
   < took the children in their party clothes >
  (4) : to get by transference from one surface to another (as by means of ink)
   < take a proof >
   < take a person's fingerprints >
   < take rubbings of ancient brasses >
   < worked out a way of taking the carved impression from the stone — Roger Burlingame >
12. : to receive or accept whether willingly or reluctantly (as something given, offered, proposed, or administered)
 < wouldn't take my hand when I offered it >
 < taught her not to take candy from strangers >
 < took the present but didn't seem pleased with it >
 < wouldn't take no for an answer >
 < take a bribe >
 < take a bet >
 < was told to take it or leave it >
 < shipped it through the Canal and I took delivery on it here this afternoon — Robert Carson >
as
 a. : to receive when bestowed or tendered (as an office, an honor, a degree, a prize)
  < was on hand to take an honorary doctorate >
  < has been trained to take salutes on state occasions — Star Weekly >
 b.
  (1) : to submit to : endure, undergo
   < took his punishment like a man >
   < take a blow without flinching >
   < is taking treatments >
   < physician told him he ought to stay for six months and take the cure — College English >
   < the mauling his corps took in the peach orchard — R.M.Lovett >
   < seeing men die and taking three wounds in his own body — Dixon Wecter >
   : put up with
   < don't have to take anything from him, or to stand his bad manners — Willa Cather >
   < after taking twenty years of living in these cramped quarters — Henry Hewes >
   — often used with it
   < for people who can take it like pioneers, here is a new frontier — W.P.Webb >
   < she deserved the accolade of the modern generation — she could take it — New Republic >
  (2) : to undergo without yielding : resist successfully : withstand
   < takes hard usage >
   < specifications may require the glass … to take an impact blow of 6 to 9 ft. lbs. — E.B.Shand >
   < takes extremes of weather beautifully >
 c.
  (1) : to accept as true : believe
   < had to take his word for it >
   < you can take it from me that he is not here >
  (2) : to accept for guidance : follow
   < take a warning >
   < take a hint >
   < take a suggestion >
   < please take my advice >
  (3) : to accept with the mind in a specified way
   < take a situation calmly >
   < took the joke in earnest >
   < took it ill of them >
   < would take it kindly if we could answer at once >
  (4) : to accept without objection or opposition
   < take things as they come >
   < ready to take the consequences of his act >
   < take the bad along with the good >
 d. : to indulge in and enjoy
  < was taking his ease on the porch >
  < hoped to be able to take a brief vacation >
  < took a five-minute break for coffee >
  < time to take a rest >
 e. : to receive or accept as a return (as in payment, compensation, or reparation)
  < agreed to take a thousand dollars in complete settlement of the claim >
  < wouldn't take less than a hundred a week >
  < wants more but would probably take less >
 f.
  (1) obsolete : to exact (as a promise or an oath) of another
  (2) : to accept the tender of (as a promise or an oath)
  (3) : to accept (as an oath, an affidavit, or a deposition) in a legal capacity (as by administering or witnessing)
 g. : to admit (a male animal) in copulation : be covered by
 h. : to respond to (bait or a lure) by seizing
  < bonefish will take a fly during a strong wind — R.R.Camp >
  < taking feathered lures and spinning stuff — Sports Illustrated >
 i. : to accept a bet offered by
  < ready to take all comers >
 j. : to deliberately make no attempt to hit (a pitched ball)
  < manager signaled him to take the next pitch >