take out

Formstakes out, taking out, took out, taken out

1. 1
   removephrasal verbtransitive

   To remove something or someone from where it is.

   The dentist had to take out two of my wisdom teeth.

   Several old signals were taken out when the station was rebuilt.

   Similarremove, extract, pull

   Oppositeinsert

   Note

   Like most phrasal verbs of its kind, it can be split: take out the trash or take the trash out. A pronoun must sit in the middle (take it out, never take out it) and a long object usually follows out: take out every book you borrowed last month. Adding of names the place left behind: take the country out of an agreement.

2. 2
   on a datephrasal verbtransitive

   To escort someone on a date, for example to a restaurant or a movie.

   He finally worked up the nerve to ask if he could take her out on Saturday.

   He likes to take out a different date every weekend, usually to the same sushi bar.

3. 3
   get (a loan)phrasal verbtransitive

   To obtain something such as a loan, insurance policy, or court order by applying for it through an official or legal process.

   The inventor took out a patent on her design before showing it to investors.

   Many small businesses take out insurance against fire and flood.

   Similarobtain, get, secure

   Note

   Its objects are the paperwork of adult life (a loan, insurance, a membership, a patent) and, in law, an injunction one party takes out against another. The phrase belongs to the applicant's side: you take out a loan, but the bank grants it, and a council takes out an injunction that a court issues.

4. 4
   destroyphrasal verbslangidiomatictransitive

   To kill someone or destroy something.

   The airstrike took out the bridge before the convoy could cross.

   Police snipers had orders to take out the gunman if he fired again.

   Similarkill, destroy, eliminate

   Note

   The slang names killing in a clipped, businesslike way: soldiers are told to take out an enemy base, and a bank robber in The Dark Knight (2008) is told to take a man out once his part of the job is done. Because the same words mean to take someone on a date, "I'm going to take him out" can be a threat or an invitation.

5. 5
   food to gonounnonstandard

   Nonstandard spelling of takeout.

   We ordered Chinese take out and ate it in front of the TV.

   Too tired to cook, so it's take out again tonight.

   Note

   The space belongs to the verb: you take out the trash, but the food you carry home is takeout, written as one word, and in American and Canadian English the same word works as an adjective, as in takeout food. With a space, the noun reads as a slip anywhere the writing will be edited.

6. 6
   knock downphrasal verbidiomatictransitive

   To overpower someone by force so that they can no longer fight or act.

   The security guard took out the intruder with a single tackle.

   One hard hit can take out a quarterback for the rest of the season.

   Similarsubdue, disable, sideline, neutralize

   Note

   Here the target is put out of action, not killed: a tackle, a punch, or a hard hit that takes out a quarterback for the season. The line between this and the killing sense is often left to context, since "he took him out" can mean either, so a writer who needs it clear says how: with a punch, with two shots.

7. 7
   win (title)phrasal verbcolloquialtransitive

   To win a sporting event, competition, or title such as a premiership.

   She took out the national title in her first year on the tour.

   The club is favored to take out the premiership again this year.

   Similarwin, clinch, capture

   Oppositelose

8. 8
   make laughphrasal verbslangidiomatictransitive

   To stun or amaze someone, or figuratively kill them, especially with laughter.

   The dog's face in that video is taking me out.

   Her deadpan one-liners take out the whole table every time.

   Similarkill

   Note

   Something that is taking me out is so funny or absurd that the speaker can barely cope: the online cousin of "this is killing me". It usually comes in the progressive with me as its object, and that frame keeps it apart from the violent sense: no one is actually hurt.

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