Take  —v. (-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. —n. 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.