take (t k)v. took (t  k), tak·en (t k n), tak·ing, takes v.tr. 1. To get into one's possession by force, skill, or artifice, especially: a. To capture physically; seize: take an enemy fortress. b. To seize with authority; confiscate. c. To kill, snare, or trap (fish or game, for example). d. Sports & Games To acquire in a game or competition; win: took the crown in horseracing. e. Sports & Games To defeat: Our team took the visitors three to one. f. Sports To catch (a ball in play), especially in baseball: The player took it on the fly. 2. To grasp with the hands; grip: Take your partner's hand. 3. To encounter or catch in a particular situation; come upon; discover: Your actions took me by surprise. 4. To deal a blow to; strike or hit: The boxer took his opponent a sharp jab to the ribs. 5. To affect favorably or winsomely; charm or captivate: She was taken by the puppy. 6. a. To put (food or drink, for example) into the body; eat or drink: took a little soup for dinner. b. To draw in; inhale: took a deep breath. 7. To expose one's body to (healthful or pleasurable treatment, for example): take the sun; take the waters at a spa. 8. To bring or receive into a particular relation, association, or other connection: take a new partner into the firm; take a company national. 9. To engage in sex with. 10. To accept and place under one's care or keeping. 11. To appropriate for one's own or another's use or benefit; obtain by purchase; secure or buy: We always take season tickets. 12. To assume for oneself: take all the credit. a. To charge or oblige oneself with the fulfillment of (a task or duty, for example); commit oneself to: She took the position of chair of the committee. b. To pledge one's obedience to; impose (a vow or promise) upon oneself. c. To impose upon oneself; subject oneself to: We took extra time to do the job properly. d. To accept or adopt for one's own: She took his side in the dispute. e. To put forth or adopt as a point of argument, defense, or discussion. f. To require or have as a fitting or proper accompaniment: Transitive verbs take a direct object. 13. To pick out; select or choose: take any card. a. To choose for one's own use; avail oneself of the use of: We took a rented car. b. To use (something) as when in operation: This camera takes 35mm film. c. To use (something) as a means of conveyance or transportation: take a train to Pittsburgh. d. To use (something) as a means of safety or refuge: take shelter from the storm. e. To choose and then adopt (a particular route or direction) while on foot or while operating a vehicle: Take a right at the next corner. The driver downshifted to take the corner. 14. To assume occupancy of: take a seat. 15. To require (something) as a basic necessity: It takes money to live in that town. 16. To obtain from a source; derive or draw: The book takes its title from the Bible. 17. To obtain, as through measurement or a specified procedure: took the patient's temperature. 18. To write or make a record of, especially in shorthand or cursive writing: take a letter; take notes. 19. To create (an image, likeness, or representation), as by drawing, painting, or photography: took a picture of us. 20. To include or distribute (a charge) in a financial record. 21. a. To accept (something owed, offered, or given) either reluctantly or willingly: take a bribe. b. To submit to (something inflicted); undergo or suffer: didn't take his punishment well. c. To put up with; endure or tolerate: I've had about all I can take from them. d. Baseball To refrain from swinging at (a pitched ball). e. To be affected with; catch: The child took the flu. f. To be hit or penetrated by: took a lot of punches; took a bullet in the leg. g. To withstand: The dam took the heavy flood waters. 22. a. To accept or believe (something put forth) as true: I'll take your word. b. To follow (advice, a suggestion, or a lead, for example). c. To accept, handle, or deal with in a particular way: He takes things in stride. d. To consider in a particular relation or from a particular viewpoint: take the bitter with the sweet. 23. To undertake, make, or perform: take a walk; take a decision. 24. a. To allow to come in; give access or admission to; admit: The boat took a lot of water but remained afloat. b. To provide room for; accommodate: We can't take more than 100 guests. c. To become saturated or impregnated with (dye, for example). 25. a. To understand or interpret: May I take your smile as an indication of approval? b. To consider; assume: Take the matter as settled. c. To consider to be equal to; reckon: We take their number at 1,000. d. To perceive or feel; experience: She took a dislike to his intrusions. 26. To carry, convey, lead, or cause to go along to another place: Don't forget to take your umbrella. This bus takes you to New York. See Usage Note at bring. 27. To remove from a place: take the dishes from the sink. 28. To secure by removing: The dentist took two molars. 29. To cause to die; kill or destroy: The blight took these tomatoes. 30. To subtract: take 15 from 30. 31. To exact: The storm took its toll. 32. a. To commit and apply oneself to the study of: take art lessons; take Spanish. b. To study for with success: took a degree in law. 33. Informal To swindle, defraud, or cheat: You've really been taken. v.intr. 1. To acquire possession. 2. To engage or mesh; catch, as gears or other mechanical parts. 3. To start growing; root or germinate: Have the seeds taken? 4. To have the intended effect; operate or work: The skin graft took. 5. To gain popularity or favor: The television series, which didn't take, was later canceled. 6. To become: He took sick. n. Phrasal Verbs: 1. a. The act or process of taking. b. That which is taken. 2. a. A quantity collected at one time, especially the amount of profit or receipts taken on a business arrangement or venture. b. The number of fish, game birds, or other animals killed or captured at one time. 3. Sports The amount of money collected as admission to a sporting event; the gate. 4. The uninterrupted running of a movie or television camera or a set of recording equipment in filming a movie or television program or cutting a record. 5. a. A scene filmed or televised without interrupting the run of the camera. b. A recording made in a single session. 6. a. A physical reaction, such as a rash, indicating a successful vaccination. b. A successful graft. 7. Slang An attempt or a try: He got the answer on the third take. 8. Informal An interpretation or assessment, as of an event: The mayor was asked for his take on the judge's decision. take after 1. To follow as an example. 2. To resemble in appearance, temperament, or character. take apart 1. To divide into parts after disassembling. 2. To dissect or analyze (a theory, for example), usually in an effort to discover hidden or innate flaws or weaknesses. 3. Slang To beat up; thrash. take back To retract (something stated or written). take down 1. To bring to a lower position from a higher one. 2. To take apart; dismantle: take down the Christmas tree. 3. To lower the arrogance or the self-esteem of (a person): really took him down during the debate. 4. To put down in writing. take for 1. To regard as: Do you take me for a fool? 2. To consider mistakenly: Don't take silence for approval. take in 1. To grant admittance to; receive as a guest or an employee. 2. To reduce in size; make smaller or shorter: took in the waist on the pair of pants. 3. To include or constitute. 4. To understand: couldn't take in the meaning of the word. 5. To deceive or swindle: was taken in by a confidence artist. 6. To look at thoroughly; view: took in the sights. 7. To accept (work) to be done in one's house for pay: took in typing. 8. To convey (a prisoner) to a police station. take off 1. To remove, as clothing: take one's coat off; take off one's galoshes. 2. To release: took the brake off. 3. To deduct as a discount: took 20 percent off. 4. To carry off or away. 5. Slang a. To go off; leave: took off in a hurry. b. To achieve wide use or popularity: a new movie that really took off. 6. To rise into the air or begin flight: The plane took off on time. 7. To discontinue: took off the commuter special. 8. To withhold service due, as from one's work: I'm taking off three days during May. take on 1. To undertake or begin to handle: took on extra responsibilities. 2. To hire; engage: took on more workers during the harvest. 3. To oppose in competition: a wrestler who took on all comers. 4. Informal To display violent or passionate emotion: Don't take on so! 5. 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 1. To extract; remove: took the splinter out. 2. To secure (a license, for example) by application to an authority. 3. Informal To escort, as a date. 4. To give vent to: Don't take your frustration out in such an aggressive manner. 5. To obtain as an equivalent in a different form: took out the money owed in services. 6. Informal To begin a course; set out: The police took out after the thieves. 7. Slang a. To kill; murder: Two snipers took out an enemy platoon. b. 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 1. To assume control, management, or responsibility. 2. To assume the control or management of or the responsibility for: She took over the job after he left. 3. To become dominant: Our defense took over in the second half of the game. take to 1. To have recourse to; go to, as for safety: took to the woods. 2. To develop as a habit or a steady practice: take to drink. 3. To become fond of or attached to: "Two keen minds that they are, they took to each other" (Jack Kerouac). take up Idioms: 1. To raise; lift. 2. To reduce in size; shorten or tighten: take up a gown. 3. To pay off (an outstanding debt, mortgage, or note). 4. To accept (an option, bet, or challenge) as offered. 5. To begin again; resume: Let's take up where we left off. 6. To use up, consume, or occupy: The extra duties took up most of my time. 7. To develop an interest in or devotion to: take up mountain climbing. 8. To deal with: Let's take up each problem one at a time. 9. To assume: took up a friendly attitude. 10. To absorb or adsorb: crops taking up nutrients. 11. To enter into (a profession or business): took up engineering. 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 1. To become operative, as under law or regulation: The curfew takes effect at midnight. 2. 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 1. To consider as true, real, or forthcoming; anticipate correctly. 2. To underestimate the value of: a publisher who took the editors for granted. take heart To be confident or courageous. take hold 1. To seize, as by grasping. 2. To become established: The newly planted vines quickly took hold. take it 1. To understand; assume: As I take it, they won't accept the proposal. 2. 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 1. To be receptive to: take kindly to constructive criticism. 2. 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 1. To become established or fixed. 2. 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 1. To take an inventory. 2. 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 1. To be the most outrageous or disappointing. 2. To win the prize; be outstanding. take the count 1. To be defeated. 2. 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. [Middle English taken, from Old English tacan, from Old Norse taka.] tak a·ble adj. |
take down
vb (tr, adverb)
1. to record in writing
2. to dismantle or tear down to take down an old shed
3. to lower or reduce in power, arrogance, etc. (esp in the phrase to take down a peg)
adj take-down
made or intended to be disassembled
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Verb | 1. | take down - move something or somebody to a lower position; "take down the vase from the shelf" move, displace - cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense; "Move those boxes into the corner, please"; "I'm moving my money to another bank"; "The director moved more responsibilities onto his new assistant" reef - lower and bring partially inboard; "reef the sailboat's mast" depress - lower (prices or markets); "The glut of oil depressed gas prices" dip - lower briefly; "She dipped her knee" incline - lower or bend (the head or upper body), as in a nod or bow; "She inclined her head to the student" |
| 2. | take down - reduce in worth or character, usually verbally; "She tends to put down younger women colleagues"; "His critics took him down after the lecture" abase, chagrin, humiliate, humble, mortify - cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of; "He humiliated his colleague by criticising him in front of the boss" reduce - lower in grade or rank or force somebody into an undignified situation; "She reduced her niece to a servant" dehumanise, dehumanize - deprive of human qualities; "Life in poverty has dehumanized them" | |
| 3. | take down - tear down so as to make flat with the ground; "The building was levelled" bulldoze - flatten with or as if with a bulldozer | |
| 4. | take down - make a written note of; "she noted everything the teacher said that morning" set down, write down, get down, put down - put down in writing; of texts, musical compositions, etc. |
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