take

Less common meanings

26. 26
    opinionnouncountable

    What someone thinks about something, or their view of it.

    What's your take on this issue?

    Here's my take: nobody wins.

    UsageAsk what's your take on it?

    Similarview, opinion, interpretation, perspective

27. 27
    verbtransitive

    To put up with something hard or unpleasant without getting upset or breaking down.

    My brother can't take a joke about his haircut.

    The old truck took years of rough roads before it finally broke down.

    UsageSay I can't take it any more.

    Similaraccept, endure, absorb, withstand

    Note
28. 28
    have effectverbintransitive

    To start to hold or work, or to have the effect you wanted.

    The paint did not take on the shiny wall.

    Mom planted a cutting from the rose bush, and it took.

    UsageOften for grafts, vaccines, dye, or fire: the dye didn't take.

    Similarsucceed, catch, work

    Oppositefail

    Note
29. 29
    verbtransitive

    To learn something by measuring it, checking it or asking about it.

    The nurse will take your temperature.

    They took a census of the whole province.

    UsageA nurse takes your temperature.

    Similarmeasure, record, check

    Note
30. 30
    verbtransitive

    To think that someone or something is a certain kind of person or thing.

    Don't take me for a fool. I saw what you did.

    At first I took her to be the store manager.

    UsageDo you take me for a fool? means do you think I am one?

    Similarjudge, assume, consider

    Note
31. 31
    note downverbtransitive

    To write something down, or to note it carefully as if you were writing it.

    Please take notes during the class.

    The waiter took our order and went back to the kitchen.

    UsageSay take notes in class.

    Similarrecord, note

    Note
32. 32
    win (prize)verbtransitive

    To win a prize, medal, or game, or to end a contest in a certain place.

    She took first place in the spelling bee.

    If we take this game, we go to the finals.

    UsageSay she took gold.

    Similarwin

    Oppositelose

33. 33
    verbtransitive

    To believe what someone tells you.

    You'll have to take her word for it.

    I took him at his word and waited.

    UsageTake my word for it means believe me.

    Similaraccept, believe

    Oppositedoubt, disbelieve

    Note
34. 34
    subtractverbtransitive

    To subtract one number from another.

    Take one from three and you get two.

    If you take five from twelve, seven is left.

    UsageSay take six from ten, or ten take away six.

    Similarsubtract, deduct

    Oppositeadd

35. 35
    gripverbtransitive

    To get hold of something or someone with your hand.

    The nurse took my arm and helped me stand.

    Take my arm, the path is icy.

    UsageSay take someone's hand, take someone by the hand, or take hold of something.

    Similargrab, grip, grasp, clutch, hold

    Oppositerelease

    Note
36. 36
    catch interestverbtransitive

    To please someone and catch their interest, often used with 'fancy'.

    The little house took her fancy at once.

    Order any dessert on the menu that might take your fancy.

    UsageTaken with something means you like it a lot.

    Similarcatch, capture, captivate, attract

    Note
37. 37
    be the routeverbtransitive

    Used about a road, path or stairs, to bring you to a certain place.

    This road will take you straight to the beach.

    The trail took us through a pine forest.

    UsageSay this road takes you to town.

    Similarlead

    Note
38. 38
    nouncountable

    One try at filming a scene or recording music without stopping.

    The actor laughed in the middle of the take, so they had to start over.

    The director was happy with the very first take.

    UsageIn one take means on the first try, or in a single shot without stopping.

    Note
39. 39
    catch (illness)verbdatedtransitive

    To get an illness, such as a cold.

    He took a chill on the walk home.

    Grandma always said you'd take cold if you went out with wet hair.

    Similarcatch, contract

    Note
40. 40
    verbdatedtransitive

    To eat or drink something, usually a meal or a drink.

    Do you take sugar in your tea?

    He was conscious that other officers tried to avoid eating at the same time, and everyone was gready relieved when he stopped coming there altogether and began taking his meals in his trailer.

    1961, Joseph Heller, “Major Major Major Major”Here, taking means eating, having his meals.

    Similarhave, eat

    Note
41. 41
    earningsnouncountable

    The money that a business or a crime brings in, especially the profit.

    The robbers argued about how to split the take.

    The school bake sale's take was almost three hundred dollars.

    UsageOn the take means taking bribes.

    Similarproceeds, takings, earnings, haul

    Note
42. 42
    new versionnouncountable

    A way of doing or presenting something, often one that is new or different.

    The new movie is a funny take on an old fairy tale.

    My grandma's take on pizza uses flatbread and lots of garlic.

    UsageSay a new take on an old song.

    Similarversion, interpretation, spin, approach

    Note
43. 43
    wear (size)verbtransitive

    To be a certain size in clothes or shoes.

    What size shoe do you take?

    She takes a medium in most shirts.

    UsageSay I take a size 8.

    Similarwear

44. 44
    killverbtransitive

    To kill someone or cause their death.

    Car crashes take thousands of lives every year.

    The flu took my grandfather when I was a baby.

    UsageTake a life means kill someone.

    Similarkill, eliminate, terminate, annihilate, dispatch

    Note
45. 45
    suffer (damage)verbtransitive

    To have something bad happen to you, like damage or a hard time.

    Houses near the river take the most damage when it floods.

    Her pride took a beating when she lost the race.

    UsageSay the town took a hit when something hurt it.

    Similarsuffer, sustain, absorb

    Note
46. 46
    verb

    To catch fish or wild animals.
47. 47
    verb

    To catch a cricket ball cleanly, mostly behind the batter after a miss or slight touch.
48. 48
    verb

    To demand and get something owed, or make someone suffer, as in taking revenge.
49. 49
    verb

    To capture a piece in a game, or win the cards played in one round.
50. 50
    verb

    To agree to be paid with something, such as cash or a card.
51. 51
    verb

    To accept someone as a wife, husband, partner, or helper.
52. 52
    verb

    To get property by law, for example when someone dies.
53. 53
    verb

    To have sexual intercourse with someone.
54. 54
    verb

    To win a fight against someone.
55. 55
    verb

    To choose something, like a name, and make it yours.
56. 56
    verb

    To go over or around something, like a jump or a corner.
57. 57
    verb

    To go somewhere.
58. 58
    verb

    To pay to use something, like renting a house.
59. 59
    verb

    To pay to have a newspaper or magazine sent to you.
60. 60
    verb

    To be part of an activity, like a class.
61. 61
    verb

    To work out a meaning or idea from something you see, hear, or go through.
62. 62
    verb

    To find someone suddenly while they are doing something.
63. 63
    verb

    To soak up dye or ink, or to shine well with polish.
64. 64
    verb

    Of a boat, to let water come in.
65. 65
    verb

    To fill or need a certain amount of space.
66. 66
    verb

    To play a part, as in a play.
67. 67
    verb

    To make a promise, such as an oath.
68. 68
    verb

    To go into a place or onto a stage.
69. 69
    verb

    To go to something for help or safety, like a shelter.
70. 70
    verbdated

    To make a photo or picture of someone or something.
71. 71
    verb

    To trick someone out of money.
72. 72
    verb

    To not swing at a ball thrown to you in baseball.
73. 73
    verb

    In grammar, to need a certain word form or kind of phrase with it.
74. 74
    verb

    Of a function or command, to accept inputs, whether none, a set number or a varying number.
75. 75
    verbcolloquialCyprus

    To buy something.
76. 76
    verb

    To work properly by sticking or soaking in.
77. 77
    verb

    To start growing after being planted, or to become established.
78. 78
    verb

    Of a machine part, to catch or hold onto another part.
79. 79
    verbdated

    To become popular, or to please people.

    Here was only cruelty and pain; where was the loving side of Christianity? "When I was young," I said, "I was vaccinated with religion, but the vaccination didn't take."

    1967, Richard Martin Stern, The Kessler Legacy
80. 80
    verb

    To become, for example to become sick.
81. 81
    verbdated

    To look good in photos.

    'Photographs never do give anything but a pale imitation, you know, but the likenesses, as likenesses, are good. She "takes well" as they say, and those were done lately.'

    1881, Jessie Fothergill, Kith and Kin
82. 82
    verbdialectal

    A word used before another verb to make it stronger.
83. 83
    verbobsolete

    To pass something over to a person.

    Jeſus perceaved there wylynes ãd ſayde: Why tempte ye me ye ypocrytes: lett me ſe the tribute money. And they toke hym a peny.

    1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt (Tyndale Bible)
84. 84
    verbobsolete

    To hit someone.
85. 85
    verbarchaic

    To visit a place on a trip.

    But it seems that he did not attend to this circumstance at present; for in May, he set out again for Epworth, and took Manchester in his way, to see his friend Mr. Clayton, who had now left Oxford.

    1793, John Whitehead, The Life of the Rev. John Wesley
86. 86
    verbobsolete

    To paint a picture of someone or something.

    Beauty alone could beauty take ſo right: / Her dreſs, her ſhape, her matchleſs grace, / Were all obferv'd, as well as heavenly face.

    a. 1701 (date written), John Dryden, “To The Pious Memory of the Accomplish'd Young Lady Mrs. Anne Killigrew,”
87. 87
    noun

    An instance of someone taking something.
88. 88
    noun

    All the fish or animals caught at one time.
89. 89
    noun

    One recording of a piece of music made without a break.
90. 90
    noun

    A look on someone's face in reaction to something, especially a surprise.
91. 91
    noun

    A vaccine shot that worked.
92. 92
    noun

    A catch in cricket.
93. 93
    noun

    A piece of text a typesetter gets to work on in one batch.