| 释义 |
▪ I. take, v.|teɪk|
Pa. tense took |tʊk|; pa. pple. taken |ˈteɪk(ə)n|. Forms: see below.
[Late OE. tacan, tóc, *tacen, a. ON. taka, tók, tekinn (OSw. taka, Sw. taga, Da. tage), to grasp, grip, seize, lay hold of, take, which appears c 1100, in late parts of the OE. Chron., first in MS. D, and then a 1150 also in E, and elsewhere, but may have been in use in the Dane-law district a 1000. In ME. it gradually superseded the OE. niman (see nim v.), and has been, during the later ME. and the whole mod.Eng. period, the simplest and most direct word for the general notion expressed by Da. tage, Sw. taga, Ger. nehmen, Du. nemen, Fr. prendre, It. prendere, Sp., Pg. tomar, L. capĕre, sumĕre, Gr. λαµβάνειν, Russ. brat′, vzyat′, Heb. lāqaχ, etc. ON. taka was app. cognate with MDu. and mod.EFris. tāken to lay hold of, grasp, seize, catch; it was also in ablaut-relation to Goth. têkan, taitôk, têkans to touch (with the hands, etc.). With the sense in Gothic cf. ON. taka á, late OE. tacan on to touch.]
A. Illustration of Forms and Inflexions.
Take is, like shake, forsake, a strong vb. of the 6th ablaut series. In northern ME. the k and following short vowel in take, takes, taken were often suppressed, leaving the forms ta, tas, tan, of which ta, tay, survives in Eng. dialects, tane in Sc. and many Eng. dialects, ta'en in Eng. poets. The reduction of the pa. tense to tō is obs., rare, and doubtful. A weak pa. tense taked occurs from 13th c., and is, with tayed, teaed, tade, still dialectal. For the pa. pple taken, the pa. tense took has been common since 16th c. in vulgar speech and in dialects, which have also tooken, tooked. In the pa. pple., ton(e for the northern tan(e occasionally appears. See Eng. Dial. Dict.
1. inf., and pres. (α) 2 tacan (tæcen), 3–5 taken, -yn; 4 tac, 4–5 (6– Sc.) tak, 5 taake, 6 taik(e, Sc. tack; 3– take.
c1100O.E. Chron. an. 1076 (MS. D) Ac se kyngc.. hine let syððan tacan. a1154Ibid. an. 1140 On þis ᵹær wolde þe king Stephne tæcen Rodbert. a1272Luue Ron 64 in O.E. Misc. 95 Al deþ hit wile from him take. 13..K. Alis. 1799 (Bodl. MS.) Þat he shulde of þe werlde & þee Taken tol. 13..Cursor M. 568 (Cott.) Þe god to tak and leue þe ill. Ibid. 2812 (Gött.) His mohwes..þat suld his dohutris tac. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 367 Þai schal taake no þinge ellis. c1400Lay Folks Mass Bk., Bidding Prayer ii. 64 Ensaumpil for to tak. c1440Promp. Parv. 485/2 Takyn, or receyvyn. 1538Kath. Bulkeley in Lett. Suppress. Monasteries (Camden) 230 He..will not taike my answere. 1546Yorks. Chantry Surv. (Surtees) II. 454 No man will taik yt. 1562Winȝet Cert. Tractatis iii. Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 34 That this tumult tak rest. 1573Tyrie Refut. in Cath. Tractates (S.T.S.) 14 He culd nocht tack tent to sic trifflis. 1785Burns To the Deil xxi, O wad ye tak a thought an' men'!
(β) contr. 4 (5–6 Sc.) ta, taa, 4–6 (9 dial.) tay, tae, 5 tan.
c1340Cursor M. 1250 (Gött.) Hugat þu sal ta [Cott. tak; Fairf., Trin. take] þi right way. 1375Barbour Bruce x. 610 And thair abaid thair aynd to ta. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints iii. (Andreas) 11 Sanct Andrew his way can tay. c1400Laud Troy Bk. 1742 Thelaman..nold her not to his spouse tan. c1560A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) ii. 153 Quhen thay saw Sym sic curage ta. 1570in J. Redford Mor. Play Wit & Sc., etc. (Shaks. Soc.) 91 Eche swete corde eche ere woolde tay. 1865Waugh Besom Ben vii, Wheer are yo beawn to tay mo too?
2. imp. (α) 3–4 tac, 4–5 (6– Sc.) tak, 4– take; pl. 3 takez, 4 -es, -is, 5 takeþ. (β) contr. 4–6 ta, pl. tas (4 tatz).
c1200Ormin 8355 Josæp, ris upp & tacc þe child & tacc þe childess moderr. c1230Hali Meid. 7 Tac þe to him treoweliche. 13..Cursor M. 15233 (Cott.) Takes and etes o þis bred. 13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 735 Tatz to non ille, Ȝif I mele a lyttel more. 13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 413 Ta now þy grymme tole to þe. Ibid. 1396 Tas yow þere my cheuicaunce. c1386Chaucer Pars. T. ⁋77 Tak reward of þy value. c1425Cursor M. 661 (Trin.) Beþ war & takeþ good entent. a1510Douglas King Hart ii. 149 First witnes thow me ta. 1816Scott Old Mort. xliii, This is the way; follow me,..sir, but tak tent to your feet.
3. pres. ind. (special forms).
a. 2nd pers. sing. (α) 4 takes, 4–5 -is, 5 -yst, 5– takest. (β) contr. 4 tas, 5 taas.
13..Cursor M. 18358 (Cott.) Þou þat..fra þi folk þair sinnes take [Gött. takis; c 1425 Trin. takest, Laud takyst]. Ibid. 27132 (Cott.) Þou þi bising tas be oþer men. c1430Christ's own Compl. 464 in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866) 197 No tent þou taas. c1470Henry Wallace ii. 85 To quhom takis thow this thing?
b. 3rd pers. sing. (α) 2 tæcþ, 3–4 takeþ, -eð, 4–5 takith, 4–7 (8– arch.) taketh; 4– takes, (6 Sc. takis, tekis).
a1150MS. 303 Corp. Chr. Coll. Cambr. 178 (Napier) Swa hwæt swa hit on tæcþ. c1275Lay. 3361 And takeþ hit his child. c1350Will. Palerne 3193 Þe comli quen þan takeþ meliors by þe hande. 13..Cursor M. 29274 (Cott.) On þam þis cursing stede first takes That [etc.]. 1382Wyclif Matt. x. 38 He that takith nat his crosse. 1484Caxton Fables of æsop v. xiii, He is not wyse whiche..taketh debate or stryf. 1571Satir. Poems Reform. xxix. 41 The Duvill..tekis forme of Angell bryte.
(β) contr. 4–5 tas (4 tath), 4–6 Sc. tais, 5 tase, tace.
c1375Sc. Leg. Saints xviii. (Egipciane) 270 Gret dowt in his hart he tais. 1390Gower Conf. II. 129 He therof his part ne tath. a1400–50Alexander 1666 He..Tas him to his tresory. c1430Brut 406 Thanne Vmfreuyle, his leue he tace [rime space]. a1450Le Morte Arth. 956 Sir Gawayne..to conselle he tase [rimes was, case, has].
c. pl. (α) 4 taken, 5 -yn; (β) contr. 4 tas.
1340–70Alex. & Dind. 566 Of hure tenful tach ȝe taken ensample. 1357Lay Folks Catech. 244 What thing so we gete, or tas.
4. pa. ind. (and subj.). α1 ? 1 tóc, 2–3 toc, 3–4 tock, 3–5 tok, 3–6 toke, (4 toek, ? to), 5–7 tooke, 4– took. pl. ? 1 tócon, 2 tocan, 3–5 token, 4 tokene, tooken, 5 tokyn.
c1100O.E. Chron. (MS. D) an. 1075, He..tóc [MS. E nam] swilce ᵹerihta swa he him ᵹelaᵹade. c1200Ormin Pref. 9 Crist toc dæþ o rodetre. c1275Lay. 54 He..þane hilke boc tock us to bisne. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 5864 As me him drinke tok. Ibid. 6651 Þis erl..toc hire þe castel of bruges. 13..Cursor M. 13152 (Cott.) To þe bure sco tok hir pas. Ibid. 16454 Quen þai þe fine gold forsoke, And to [v.r. toke] þam to þe lede. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. (MS. Rawl.) xvi. 269 + 3 He softe ȝede, Þat he toek vs as tit. 1393Ibid. C. iv. 47 Mede..took hym a noble For to be hure bedman. c1420? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 421 She toke hym by the hande. Ibid. 1888, I..myn hert to me tooke. 1579Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 80 Lucilla..toke him by the hand. 1641Hinde J. Bruen xlviii. 156 A little before hee tooke his Chamber.
c1100O.E. Chron. (MS. D) an. 1076, And [hi] tócon þær inne mycele æhta. 1154Ibid. (MS. E) an. 1136, Þa tocan þa oðre & helden her castles aᵹenes him. c1200Ormin 6492 Þeȝȝ tokenn nihhtess reste þær. c1250Gen. & Ex. 3194 Alle ðe bones ðe he ðor token. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 3987 A lettre hii toke þe kinge. 13..S. Erkenwolde 57 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 267 Quen tithynges tokene to þe tone. c1380Lay Folks Catech. (Lamb. MS.) 1211 Whan we tok cristyndom. 1382Wyclif John i. 5 Derknessis tooken not it. c1400Destr. Troy 4696 Þai..tokyn the tresure. c1449Pecock Repr. ii. ii. 145 To hem whiche token and helden tho ymagis to be her Goddis.
α2 (Sc. and north. dial.) 4–9 tuk, 5–9 tuke, (5 twke, 6 twik, tuike), 6– tuik.
c1375Sc. Leg. Saints i. (Petrus) 36 He hym tuk to be hym by In his transfiguracion. c1470Henry Wallace i. 78 King Eduuard than it tuk in gret greuance. 1533Gau Richt Vay (S.T.S.) 32 The sone..twik apone hyme our natur. c1560Rolland Seven Sages (1837) A ij, I..tuke gude nicht. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. i. (S.T.S.) 100 He tuke thame, he eit thame rawe. Ibid. x. 320 His recreatioune he tuike in Caris hous. Mod. Sc. We tuik them wi' us.
(β) 3 takede, 5– taked. (See Eng. Dial. Dict.)
c1205Lay. 3333 Þe we swa takede him on. 1485Waterf. Arch. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 318 That spoiled, robbed, or taked ony of the Kyngs liege men.
5. pa. pple. (α) 2–4 itaken, 4 ytakyn; 4– taken, (4–5 takin, -yn, 5 -yne, -on, -un, 6 takne, taking; 7 taiken, Sc. taikin).
c1175Itaken [see B. 14]. c1205Itaken [see take on: 86 i]. c1320Cast. Love 202 Þe blisse of lyf he haþ forsaken, And to deolful deþ him taken. c1330Assump. Virg. (B.M. MS.) 625 When þi lord was ytakyn. c1375Cursor M. 4875 (Fairf.) Qua-so ys takin wiþ stollyn þinge. a1380S. Bernard 612 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1878) 51/2 Wiþ seknesse stronge He was itaken. c1400Destr. Troy 1512 His towne was takon. c1449Pecock Repr. ii. iv. 159 Weel takun of wise men. 1537Wriothesley Chron. (Camden) I. 60 The sayd Halam was takne. 1552Lyndesay Monarche 5539 Quhilkis salbe taking, but warnyng. 1629Reg. Privy Council Scotl. Ser. ii. III. 25 We..have taikin thame.
(β) contr. 3–5 itake, 4–5 ytake; 4–7 take, 5 (6 pseudo-Sc.) tak.
1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 6106 Nou adde heyemen of þe lond itake..His fader ostage god ynou. 1340–70Alex. & Dind. 721 Ȝe schullen..offren to venus A ful derworþe douue on his den take. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xi. 254 So is..pouerte or penaunce pacientlyche ytake. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VIII. 79 At Turon he was i-take wiþ a fevere. 1423Jas. I Kingis Q. cxciii, Sche hath me tak, hir humble creature. c1425Cursor M. 928 (Trin.) Þat erþe þou were of take. c1440Pallad. on Husb. iii. 906 To graffe a quynce is diuers tyme ytake. c1450Merlin 296 And his wif [was] also I-take. 1559Mirr. Mag. (1563) I j, Shortly after was Kyng Henry take, And put in pryson. 1605Take [see B. 49].
(γ) contr. 4 y-tan; 4–5 tan, 4–8 tane, (4 tene, 4 (6 Sc.) tain, 4–5 tayn, 5–6 Sc. tayne, 6 taan, teyne, Sc. teine, 6–7 taine, 7 taen), 7–8 ta'ne, 9 (poet. and dial.) ta'en; (erron.) 5 ton, 5 (6 pseudo-Sc.) tone.
c1320Sir Tristr. 1000 Now haþ tristrem y tan Oȝain moraunt to fiȝt. c1340Hampole Prose Tr. (1866) 1 Ihesu the Worde of God has tane manes kynde. 13..Cursor M. 4896 (Cott.) Lok þai alle be tain [v.rr. tan, tane, take] and bonden. Ibid. 16058 (Cott.) Þai him had tene [v.rr. tane, taken] al wit tresun. c1400Rule St. Benet 2112 Þen sall þis rewel eft furth be ton [rime gon]. c1470Henry Wallace ii. 400 Wallace..Apon the crag with his suerd has him tayne. 1500–20Dunbar Poems xlvi. 102 That he..nocht in the feindis net be tone [rime allone]. c1520Nisbet N.T. in Scots, Acts i. 11 Quhilk is taan vp fra you into heuen. 15..Sir A. Barton in Surtees Misc. (1888) 68 Where that Scoott hath teyne frome the a grootte. a1578Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 197 Gif he had teine it. 1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iv. v. 60 The Prince hath ta'ne it hence. 1602― Ham. i. iii. 107 That you have tane his tenders for true pay. a1631Drayton Triumph David 805 The sword taen from the giant's side. c1645Howell Lett. v. 30 He hath taine such a habit of it. 1653Nissena 43 From the time she had taen upon her the yoke of marriage. 1875Tennyson Q. Mary v. v, The Holy Father Has ta'en the legateship from our cousin Pole.
(δ) 6–7 tooke, 7–8 (9 dial. and illiterate) took; 7–9 tooken.
1592Kyd Sol. & Pers. iii. i. 5 My brothers ghoasts..would now haue tooke their rest. 1610Donne Pseudo-martyr 353 The Popes haue tooken order..to enact [etc.]. 1633P. Fletcher Pisc. Ecl. v. ix, Thus many a Nymph is took. a1667Jer. Taylor Rev. to Altar Wks. 1849 V. 323 God hath tooke seisure of it. 1790Cook's Voy. V. 1808 Having took our departure from Prince William's Sound. 1899M. B. Betham-Edwards Lord of Harv. 155 Mr. Flindell..has took you up in his gig.
(ε) 6 taked.
1512Helyas in Thoms Prose Rom. (1828) III. 24 My sonne..hath taked the quene Beatrice..to his wife. 1581Rich Farew. Milit. Prof. (1846) 207 Till he had taked his firste fruites.
B. Signification.
The earliest known use of this verb in the Germanic languages was app. to express the physical action ‘to put the hand on’, ‘to touch’—the only known sense of Gothic têkan. By a natural advance, such as is seen in English in the use of ‘lay hands upon’, the sense passed to ‘lay hold upon, lay hold of, grip, grasp, seize’—the essential meaning of Old Norse taka, of MDu. taken, and of the material senses of take in English. By the subordination of the notion of the instruments, and even of the physical action, to that of the result, take becomes in its essence ‘to transfer to oneself by one's own action or volition (anything material or non-material)’. This becomes then the general or ordinary sense of the verb, which falls into two main divisions, take in the sense of ‘seize, grip’, hence ‘appropriate’, and take in the sense of ‘receive or accept what is handed to one’. Subordinate to these are the non-material senses of ‘assume, adopt, apprehend, comprehend, comprise, contain’. For the common element of all these notions take is the simple and proper term, for which no simpler can be substituted. It is one of the elemental words of the language, of which the only direct explanation is to show the thing or action to which they are applied.
Take also enters into a great number of idiomatic phrases, which are often difficult to analyse. Many of these are parallel to, and influenced by French phrases with prendre: see F. H. Sykes, French Elements in ME., Oxford 1899.
General arrangement of senses: I. To touch. II. To seize, grip, catch. III. Ordinary current sense, i. with material obj.; ii. with non-material obj. IV. To choose, take for a purpose, into use. V. To derive, obtain from a source. VI. To receive, accept, admit, contain. VII. To apprehend mentally, comprehend. VIII. To undertake, perform, make. IX. To convey, conduct, deliver, apply or betake oneself, go. X. Idiomatic uses with special obj. XI. Intransitive uses with preposition. XII. Adverbial combinations = compound verbs. XIII. Idiomatic phrases, and Phrase-key. I. †1. To touch (intr. with on, also trans.: = ON. taka á, and taka). Obs.
a1150MS. 303 Corp. Chr. Coll. Cambr. 178 (Napier) Soðlice þæt ilce ele is swa mihtiᵹ & swa strange þæt swa hwæt swa hit on tæcþ, þærrihtes hit eall forbærnð. Ibid. 179 Sona swa þæt ele toc on þæt wæter, þa aras þær upp swiðe mycel fyr. c1250Gen. & Ex. 3456 Abute ðis munt ðu merke make, If erf or man ðor-one take, It dead ðolen. c1250Old Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 31 Ure lord him seide and spredde his hond, and tok his lepre. a1300Cursor M. 10969 (Cott.), I and mi wijf on ald tas. 1340Ayenb. 91 Be zyȝþe, be hyerþe, be smellinge, be zuelȝynge, and be takynge.
II. To seize, grasp, capture, catch, and related senses.
* in literal and physical sense.
2. trans. To lay hold upon, get into one's hands by force or artifice; to seize, capture, esp. in war; to make prisoner; hence, to get into one's power, to win by conquest (a fort, town, country). Also, to apprehend (a person charged with an offence), to arrest; to seize (property) by legal process, as by distraint, etc. See also take by storm.
c1100O.E. Chron. an. 1072 (MS. D), Se kyng nam heora scypa & wæpna,..& þa menn ealle he toc, & dyde of heom þæt he wolde. Ibid. an. 1076, Ac se kyngc..hine let syððan tacan. 1154Ibid. an. 1140 (Laud MS.), And te Lundenissce folc hire wolde tæcen. c1200Ormin 5948, & tatt he siþþenn takenn wass All gilltelæs & bundenn & naȝȝledd uppo rodetre. a1300Cursor M. 4896 Lok þai alle be tain and bonden. Ibid. 18554 Als prisun þai him tok for-þi. c1400Rom. Rose 5894 My modir is of gret prowesse; She hath tan many a fortresse. c1450Merlin 13 The Iuges made hir to be taken, and brought hir be-fore them. c1460Brut 524 Þei londed & come to Sandwych..& toke the town, & ryfled & dispoyled it. 1526Tindale Matt. iv. 12 When Iesus had herde that Ihon was taken, he departed in to Galile. 1600E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 184 Hauing quietly taken the other two gallions, they entred within the Porte. 1658Cokaine Trappolin i. i, He is your brothers prisoner..That in the wars of Mantoa was took. 1736T. Lediard Life Marlborough I. 180 The English took about 200 Prisoners. 1803Pic Nic II. No. 8. 61, I was taken into custody. 1854J. S. C. Abbott Napoleon (1855) II. 372, I took two guns and retook two.
(b) Criminals' slang. To break into in order to burgle, to rob.
1926J. Black You can't Win xxi. 331 After gathering every scrap of information available, I was sure I could ‘take’ the spot if I got a fair break on the luck. 1930D. Runyon in Liberty 8 Nov. 24/2 Someone takes a jewellery store in the town.
b. To catch, capture (a wild beast, bird, fish, etc.); also of an animal, to seize or catch (prey).
c1200Ormin 13504 Rihht alls an hunnte takeþþ der Wiþþ hise ȝæpe racchess. c1250Gen. & Ex. 3323 Ðor miȝte euerilc man fuȝeles taken. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) v. 15 Þai take wylde bestes riȝt wele. 1509Hawes Past. Pleas. xxxi. (Percy Soc.) 154 Wo worth the beaute which toke me in snare. 1563B. Googe Sonnets (Arb.) 82 By hydden hooke, the symple fole is tane. 1648Hunting of Fox 23 They keep packs of dogs, or Beagles, on purpose to take them by hunting. 1801Strutt Sports & Past. i. ii. 33 The present methods of taking fish. 1892Longm. Mag. Nov. 87 They are readily taken by nets. 1899Rider Haggard Swallow iii, The women and the little ones..were taken by wild beasts.
c. subj. in imprecations.
a1533Ld. Berners Huon lvii. 192 Mahounde take his soule! 1600,1749[see devil n. 17]. 1850Tait's Mag, XVII. 298/1 Here he comes again!—deuce take him. 1856Reade Never Too Late l, The devil take the hindmost.
d. In various games, as chess, cards, etc.: To capture (an adversary's piece, card, etc.) so as to put it out of play; also (Cards) to gain possession of (a trick): see trick n. (Also said of the piece, card, etc., by which the taking is effected).
14..Beryn 1812 The next drauȝt aftir, he toke a roke for nauȝte. c1440Gesta Rom. xxi. 71 (Harl. MS.) Whenne he [the pawn at chess] goth aside, he takith anoþer. 1562J. Rowbotham Play Cheasts B iv b, Thou shalt take his knight with thy Quene. 1735Bertin Chess 55 The king takes the queen. 1840P. Parley's Ann. I. 263 A pawn takes the enemy angularly.
e. Cricket. To catch (the ball) off the bat so as to put the batsman ‘out’ (also with the batsman as obj.); of the bowler, To ‘capture’ (a wicket) by striking it with the ball (or otherwise).
1846W. Denison Cricket 71 The greatest number of wickets he succeeded in taking in one match was 11. 1870Times 11 July 10/5 Mr. Law was taken easily at the wicket with the score at 22. 1882Daily Tel. 17 May, A minute or two later Walker was smartly taken at the wicket off Garrett. Ibid. 24 June, Lucas, who had been fielding at long-off, running at full speed, managed to take it [the ball]. 1883Ibid. 15 May 2/7 He was..taken at cover-point by Woof. 1890Field 10 May 672/2 Studd..was then beautifully taken at long-off.
3. To lay hold of, grasp (with the hand, arms, etc.); to seize and hold. to take in one's arms, to embrace. Often const. by the hand, head, horns, tail, etc.: see hand n. 47, bull n.1 1 c. Cf. also take hold in Phrases below (69).
a1225Juliana 70 He rende his claðes ant toc him seoluen bi þe top. a1300Cursor M. 2364 (Cott.) Ta loth þi broþer sun in hand, To chanaan ȝee most now drau. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 147 To my Crist, whos riȝt hond I haue i-take. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xxii. 170 Crist..took thomas by þe hand. c1425Cursor M. 4357 (Trin.) She toke him aboute þe necke wiþ þis And profered hir mouþ to kis. c1500in Joseph Arim. 30 He toke me by the hande and so ledde me in myn house. 1600W. Watson Decacordon (1602) 117 He tooke him by the sleeve, as they were in going over a stile. 1709Steele & Addison Tatler No. 114 ⁋1 He took me by the Hand. 1825New Monthly Mag. XIV. 361, I took her hand and kissed her. 1890F. Barrett Betw. Life & Death III. 106 He took her in his arms.
4. intr. Of a hook, a mechanical device, etc.: To catch, engage: usually const. into.
c1435Torr. Portugal 1608 Sith he pullith at his croke, So fast in to the flesh it toke. 1729Desaguliers in Phil. Trans. XXXVI. 197 The Pall or Lever..does so communicate with the Catch, that..the Catch always takes. 1797Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) IX. 9 The teeth of these four wheels take alternately into the teeth of four racks. 1825J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 310 The next tooth of the pinion will take into the gap in the end of the rack. Ibid. 513 These pins take into holes in the plate, made exactly to fit them. 1856Kane Arct. Expl. II. xxvi. 262 A floe, taking upon a tongue of ice.., began to swing upon it like a pivot.
b. trans. Of a mechanical appliance, etc.: To ‘lay hold of’; to act upon by contact, adhesion, or the like.
1659J. Leak Waterwks. 25 So as the Saws may take the said peece again. 1849A. Pellatt Curios. Glass Making 94 The punty takes the flat end by adhesion. 1894Harper's Mag. July 191/2 The blades no longer take the water together.
5. trans. To strike, hit, impinge upon (a person, etc.), usually in, on (across, over, etc.) some part; also with the part as obj.; = catch v. 11.[The notion here seems to have been originally to catch or get at a person by means of the part named, which catches the blow that otherwise might have passed.] c1400Destr. Troy 8224 Ector turnet with tene, toke hym on þe hed. c1470Henry Wallace i. 403 Wallas with it [the poutstaff] fast on the cheik him tuk. Ibid. iii. 175 As he glaid by, aukwart he couth hym ta. 1509Hawes Past. Pleas. xl. (Percy Soc.) 202 Unto me than he came full softely, And with his staffe he toke me on the brest. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, i. iv. 159 Take him on the Costard, with the hiltes of thy Sword. 1670Cotton Espernon ii. v. 201 He was..taken upon the head with a stone. 1719De Foe Crusoe (1840) I. iii. 52 The blow taking my side and breast, beat the breath, as it were, quite out of my body. 1748Anson's Voy. i. x. 104 A mountainous..sea took us upon our starboard quarter. 1795Hist. in Ann. Reg. 70/1 A masked battery took them in flank. 1806–7J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life (1826) vi. Introd., The kick of a horse..took me across the ribs. 1891Blackw. Mag. CL. 651/2 When a sheep runs amuck, he is..a living catapult, that, if he took you fair, would knock the life out of you. 1893Chamb. Jrnl. 3 June 350/1 The ball took him squarely between the eyes.
b. With double obj.: e.g. to take any one a blow.
1448Paston Lett. (1901) IV. 19 He..toke his master on the hepe suyche a stroke that..brake his hepe. c1590Marlowe Faust. vii. 96 Cursed be he that took Friar Sandelo a blow on the pate! 1596Shakes. Tam. Shr. iii. ii. 165 This mad-brain'd bridegroome tooke him such a cuffe. 1603― Meas. for M. ii. i. 189 If he tooke you a box o'th'eare. 1781C. Johnston Hist. J. Juniper II. 161 Taking him a blow full in the pit of his stomach. Mod. colloq. The ball took me an awful whack on the chest.
6. absol. or intr.
a. Of a plant, seed, or graft: To ‘get hold’ of that on which it grows; to take root, ‘strike’, germinate, begin to grow. Also, in Med., of animal tissue, etc.: to continue in a healthy state after being transplanted.
c1440Pallad. on Husb. ii. 153 In reed erthe ek a vyne is hard to take. Ibid. iii. 576 But euery day me most hit delue & wete Vntil hit take. 1530Palsgr. 747/1 A yonge plante or sette begynneth to take whan it groweth up. 1661J. Childrey Brit. Baconica 14 Fruit fails in one countrey, and takes in another. 1712J. James tr. Le Blond's Gardening 184 The Oak being in its own Nature very difficult to take again. 1802Forsyth Fruit Trees i. (1824) 2 The cherry and plum will never take upon each other..but the apricot will take upon all sorts of plums. 1875Lancet 23 Jan. 124/3 The transplanted pieces of skin..were found to have ‘taken’ remarkably well. 1891Cosmopolitan XII. 87/2 Patches where the seed has failed to take. 1892Field 10 Dec. 883/3 We planted a thousand cedars of Lebanon, with shoots 6 in. high, and we have no doubt that they will take well. 1936Anat. Rec. LXIV. 167 Young donors supply material that is more likely to ‘take’. 1977Time 7 Mar. 43/2 Odds that a transplanted cadaveric kidney will ‘take’ are usually no better than 50%.
b. Of ink, etc.: To adhere to the paper, parchment, etc.
1883R. Haldane Workshop Receipts Ser. ii. 192/1 The use of ox-gall, which makes the ink ‘take’, has also the disadvantage of making it frequently ‘run’.
c. Of ice: to form (esp. in a lake, river, etc.). Cf. sense 44 d below. dial. and N. Amer.
1825Kingston (Upper Canada) Chron. 4 Feb. 3/2 On Saturday night last, the ice took between Kingston and Long Island. 1877E. Leigh Gloss. Words used Dial. Cheshire 206 ‘The ice is taking’ means it is beginning to freeze. 1881Edmonton Bull. 28 Mar. 1/2 Ice took in the Saskatchewan on the 19th of November. 1931G. L. Nute Voyageur 79 Seines were set in the water just before the ice ‘took’ on the lake or river.
d. Of a lamb: to be accepted by a foster mother in place of her own dead lamb.
1874Hardy Far from Madding Crowd I. xviii. 204 Mistress and man were engaged in the operation of making a lamb ‘take’, which is performed whenever an ewe has lost her own offspring, one of the twins of another ewe being given her as substitute.
** with either the action or the agent non-material.
7. trans. Of a disease, a pain, an injurious or destructive agency, natural or supernatural, magical, etc.; also of a notion, fancy, feeling, etc.: To affect, seize, lay hold of, attack. Also in imprecations, as ‘pest’ or ‘plague take him’.
a1300Cursor M. 11823 (Cott.) Wit þe crache him tok the scurf [Trin. Þe ȝicche toke him sikerly]. a1325Prose Psalter xlvii[i]. 5 Drede toke hem. 1450–80tr. Secreta Secret. 31 Than mayst thou ete..as thyn appetit takith the. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lvii. 194 For a colyke that hath taken me in the ryght syde. a1553[see mischief 9 b]. a1566[see plague 3 d]. 1581G. Pettie Guazzo's Civ. Conv. i. (1586) 12 b, Moued by some sodaine toie which taketh them in the head. 1598Shakes. Merry W. iv. iv. 32 He blasts the tree, and takes the cattle. 1604E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies vii. xxiii. 565 Fire tooke the Temple. 1661Cowley Disc. Govt. O. Cromwell Wks. 1710 II. 664 Now the Freak takes him. 1707Mortimer Husb. 173 No Beast will eat sour Grass till the Frost hath taken it. 1889Temple Bar Mag. Dec. 451 An intense weariness of life took him. 1892Cassell's Fam. Mag. Aug. 515/2 What in the name of wonder has taken the girl? 1893National Observer 7 Oct. 542/2 He admired as the humour took him.
absol.1602Shakes. Ham. i. i. 163 Then no planets strike, No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm.
b. pass. To be seized, attacked, or affected (with disease, a fit, fancy, etc.); to ‘have an attack’ of something.
a1300Cursor M. 8915 (Cott.) Sco es wode and wit war⁓lagh tan [Trin. wiþ fende Itake]. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 157 He was i-take with sikenesse and deyde. c1440Promp. Parv. 261/2 Infectyn..as menne take wythe pestylence. 1526Tindale Matt. iv. 24 All sicke people, that were taken with diuers diseases and gripinges. a1533Ld. Berners Huon xlviii. 162 He was taken in loue. 1578Lyte Dodoens 609 The astonied members, or limmes taken with colde. 1680Dryden Spanish Friar iii. i, I am taken on the sudden with a grievous swimming in my Head. 1865Dickens Mut. Fr. iv. xiii, Mrs. Boffin was then taken with a laughing fit of clapping her hands, and clapping her knees. 1888Florence Warden Witch of Hills I. xiii. 273, I was going to be taken with a fit.
c. pass. (ellipt.) To have a seizure or attack; to be seized with sudden illness, pain, disease, numbness, or other affection (physical or mental). ? Obs. exc. dial.
1450–1530Myrr. our Ladye 29 Where the soule was take a non & sore tormented longe tyme togidre. 1568Turner Herbal iii. 40 Good for membres that are num or taken. 1607Markham Caval. vii. (1617) 11 A horse that is taken our common Farriers say to be planet strooke. c1642Ld. Herbert in Life (1770) 45 Others..standing stiff and stark..seem as if they were taken in their joynts.
d. pass. with complemental adj., as to be taken ill (formerly blind, hoarse, lame), to be seized or struck with illness, etc. Rarely in active: see quot. 13... Also humorously (quot. 1838).
13..E.E. Allit. P. A. 1157 No thyng myȝt me dere To fech me bar & take me halte. 1588Parke tr. Mendoza's Hist. China 48 Whatsoeuer children be borne a creeple..or by sicknes be taken lame. 1657W. Rand tr. Gassendi's Life Peiresc i. 64 Being soon after taken blind. 1662J. Wilson Cheats v. iii, Being taken very ill of a sudden. 1711Steele Spect. No. 96 ⁋2 Master Harry was taken very ill of a Fever. 1802M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. iv. 21 She was taken ill in the night. 1838Dickens Nich. Nick. xxviii, ‘Oh, charming!’ interrupted Kate's patroness, who was sometimes taken literary. 1891Harper's Mag. Apr. 750/1 He was taken hoarse at the last moment.
e. intr. for pass., with compl., as to take ill = to be taken ill, to fall or become ill. Also humorously (quot. 18902). colloq. and dial.
1674N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 131 A woman..who took with child in the very fit of a Third Ague. 1822J. Hodgson in Raine Mem. (1857) I. 400 My father-in-law took ill. 1890Healy Insula Sanct. 317 He took sick and died in the island. 1890Illustr. Lond. News 29 Nov. 686/3 Then, too, he took studious, and..pored over great tomes and learned things. 1903Trevelyan in Independent Rev. Dec. 409 Mr. William Pitt..took ill and died after Austerlitz.
f. intr. To catch, catch hold: esp. of fire, to seize upon combustible substances, to be kindled, begin burning; also of a condition, humour, fancy, etc. (cf. 10 c). Now rare.
1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. clviii. 192 All the base court was afyre, so that the fyre..toke into the couerynge of a great towre couered with rede. 1634–5Brereton Trav. (Chetham Soc.) 43 The fire first took in rape-oil. 1639S. Du Verger tr. Camus' Admir. Events 110 Rottennesse takes sooner in apples, which are bruised. 1700T. Brown Amusem. Ser. & Com. 52 When any Humour Takes in London. 1803Ann. Rev. II. 189/1 The tinder was ready, and the spark took.
8. trans. To ‘catch’ or come upon (any one) in some action or situation; fig. to catch or detect in († with) a fault or error. to take tardy: see tardy.
The first two quotations connect this with sense 2.
[1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 227 Pomphilia..was i-take into [v.r. in] leccherie. c1400Apol. Loll. 6 Many popis han synnyd, and ben snybbid; and sum tan in heresy and deposid. ]1577Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1663) 85 By reasoning with this old Apelles, I took him with many falshoods. 1597Morley Introd. Mus. 95 In which fault you haue beene nowe thrise taken. 1602Narcissus (1893) 91 What was that I tooke you all a gabling tother day? 1607R. Johnson Pleas. Conceites Old Hobson (Percy Soc.) 15 His man seeing himselfe so taken napping, for a time stood amazed. 1652Gaule Magastrom. 331 The poore astrologers, who had already been taken with so many lies. 1668Shadwell Sullen Lovers i. i, I am glad I've taken you within, I come on purpose to tell you the news, d'ye hear it? 1885Mrs. Harrison (‘Lucas Malet’) Col. Enderby's Wife vii. ii, The doctor was not easily taken off his guard.
b. To come upon suddenly, overtake, catch. Obs. or arch. exc. in certain phrases: see take short, take by surprise, take at unawares.
[13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1811 Iche tolke mon do as he is tan, tas to non ille, ne pine.] a1533Ld. Berners Huon xlviii. 161 At last a wynd toke them whether they wolde or not. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 210 A tempest toke them on the sea, that put them so farre out of their course. 1611Bible Ecclus. xxxvi. 26 A man that..lodgeth wheresoeuer the night taketh him. 1890Clark Russell Ocean Trag. II. xxi. 181 We were at breakfast when the first of the wind took us.
c. slang. To swindle, cheat, or deprive of money by extortion. Freq. const. for.
1927[see clip v.2 9]. 1930D. Hammett Dain Curse xii. 122 They landed Mrs Rodman... They took her for one of her apartment buildings. 1956S. Bellow Seize Day i. 9 They make millions. They have smart lawyers... Whereas I got taken. 1968‘L. Marshall’ Blood on Blotter xxvii. 183 ‘How much did you take him for?’ ‘Slade? Plenty.’ 1970Washington Post 30 Sept. b12/4 It looks to me like yo're fixin' to git took for the dollar an' thirty cents, Shuffy. 1978J. B. Hilton Some run Crooked ix. 86 It wasn't enough for Julie just to admit she'd been taken. 1982‘E. Lathen’ Green grow Dollars xiv. 112 ‘I told Mary to take them for every penny she could get,’ he said stoutly.
d. Motor Racing. To overtake (a competitor).
1977Custom Car Nov. 14/2 Jimmy Smith..finally took Falcone, who had developed trouble, and stayed ahead to win the race. 1978Guardian Weekly 12 Mar. 23/5 The South African Grand Prix... Peterson (Lotus) shadowed the leader right to the end, taking him on a bend in the last lap for victory.
9.
†a. To take to task; to reprehend, rebuke. Obs.
b. To check, ‘pull up’, interrupt. dial. (Cf. take up, 93 m, n.)
c1250Old Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 32 Þo a-ros up ure lord and tok þane wynd and þo [MS. to] see; and al-so raþe hit was stille. a1586Sidney Arcadia iv. (1622) 415 And therewith taking himself..said hee. 1637Rutherford Lett. xcviii. (1862) I. 251 But this is my infirmity. By His grace I take myself in these ravings.
10. To catch the fancy or affection of; to excite a liking in; to captivate, delight, charm; to ‘fetch’.
1605[see taking ppl. a. 2]. 1609B. Jonson Sil. Wom. i. i, Such sweet neglect more taketh me, Than all th' adulteries of art. 1623B. Jonson To the memory of Shaks. 76 Those flights vpon the bankes of Thames, That so did take Eliza, and our Iames! 1656Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini, Pol. Touchstone (1674) 289 With a readiness that much took all the Literati. 1686W. de Britaine Hum. Prud. iv. (ed. 3) 15 Take the Vulgar by your Civilities. 1830Tennyson Owl ii. i, Thy tuwhoos..Which upon the dark afloat, So took echo with delight. 1890F. Barrett Betw. Life & Death II. xxi. 78 You took the whole audience. 1891Galton La Fenton I. viii. 193 Scarcely the man to take the fancy of a very young girl.
b. pass. const. with, less usually by. Also without const.
1535Coverdale Prov. vi. 25 Lest thou be taken with hir fayre lokes. 1622Bacon Hen. VII 153 King James..taken by Perkins amiable and alluring behaviour..entertained him..as became the person of Richard Duke of Yorke. 1641W. Mountagu in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 286 The King and Queen seemed to be much taken with..the entertainment. 1798C. Smith Yng. Philos. IV. 110, I was quite taken with the spirit and beauty of the young gentlewoman. 1867Carlyle Remin. (1881) II. 23 He was much taken with my little Jeannie, as he well might be. 1969‘E. Ferrars’ Skeleton Staff iii. 61 ‘Not enormously taken, are you?’ ‘Not bowled over.’ 1978P. H. Johnson Good Husband iii. 24 But about Ann{ddd}you were very taken, weren't you?
c. absol. or intr. to take = to take the fancy, win favour, gain acceptance; esp. to win popular favour, become popular.
a1635Naunton Fragm. Reg. (Arb.) 16 It took best with the people. 1654H. Vaughan Silex Scint. Pref. (1900) 13 Nothing takes (as they rightly phrase it) like a Romance. 1762–71H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. (1786) I. 237 The whim took; he repeated the practice. 1817Miss Mitford in L'Estrange Life (1870) II. i. 4 The new melodrame..takes mightily. 1842J. A. Kasson Let. 22 Nov. in Virginia Mag. Hist. & Biogr. (1948) LVI. 418 A person, male or female, that relishes society and can talk, will take well. 1858G. Meredith Let. 28 Apr. (1970) I. 35 Translate that placard. It would take. 1963Listener 14 Mar. 457/1 Jazz has ‘taken’ in Africa. 1981D. Martin in Martin & Mullen No Alternative ii. 19 The appeal to primitive practices can obscure the pressures of today which make such practices ‘take’ with a section of the clergy.
d. trans. To attract and hold, to ‘catch’ (a person's eye or attention).
1754Richardson Grandison (1781) V. i. 6 We..took the Bishop's eye. He came to us. 1842Whewell in Life (1881) 279, I am not surprised that your attention was taken by the examination papers. 1881Scribner's Mag. XXI. 268/1 Some one took Horton's attention for a moment. 1889Eng. Illustr. Mag. Dec. 268 My eye was taken by something bright.
11. intr. Of a plan, operation, etc.: To have the intended result; to succeed, be effective, take effect, ‘come off’. (See also 10 c.)
1622Bacon Hen. VII 63 The temporarie Fruit of the Parliament in their aide and aduice giuen for Britaine, tooke not, nor prospered not. 1625Massinger New way v. i, It may be, Sweetheart, my project took. 1646H. Lawrence Comm. Angells 98 This temptation tooke. 1658Hist. Christina Queen Swedland 287 This machine was full of fire-workes, which took very handsomly. 1701W. Wotton Hist. Rome 356 The design took and the Fellow got away. 1800–24Campbell Ritter Bann xxxi, The treachery took: she waited wild. 1941B. Schulberg What makes Sammy Run? xi. 203 She was married... The year she came out. But it didn't take. 1978D. Bloodworth Crosstalk xv. 123 [Operation] Crosstalk can do no good whatsoever unless it takes, and..this move against Sviridov..shows it has taken.
†b. In weakened or indefinite sense: To have a result of some kind; to turn out, eventuate. Obs.
a1625Fletcher Hum. Lieutenant iii. vii, Did I not tell you how 'twould take? 1648C'tess Lindsey in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 309 My son Paston is in town about a match for his son; how it will take I know not.
c. Of a medicine, inoculation, etc.: To take hold, take effect, prove operative or effective. Also fig.
1626B. Jonson Staple of N. v. iii, If all succeed well, and my simples take. 1853Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XIV. i. 253 To see if the previous inoculation would still take. 1897S. L. Hinde Congo Arabs 61 The vaccine from Europe,—unfortunately none of it took. 1906E. Dyson Fact'ry 'Ands iii. 29 Fuzzy's love was the mysterious and unhallowed growth of a moment. Sarah..had beguiled him with her Ethiopian grin and glances of matured coyness... In the words of Benno the wise, ‘It took like er vaccination’. 1951G. Greene End of Affair v. iv. 201 ‘He did it there and then.’.. ‘Did what?’ ‘Baptized her a Catholic... I always had a wish that it would ‘take’. Like vaccination.’
III. Weakened sense of ‘seize’, with elimination of the notion of force or art: the ordinary current sense. i. With a material object.
* with physical action distinct.
12. trans. To perform the voluntary physical act by which one gets (something) into one's hand or hold; to transfer to oneself by one's own physical act. (Now the main sense.)
a. with the instrumentality of the hand or hands explicitly or implicitly indicated.
c1200Ormin 135 He toc hiss reclefatt onn hand, & ȝede innto þe temmple. a1300Cursor M. 1374 Þou sal tak þis pepins thre, Þat I toke o þat appel tre. c1375Ibid. 21529 (Fairf.) Siþen he toke [Cott. & Gött. nam] a spade in hande. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 77 Anoon as he hadde i-take þe knyf all þe ymages gonne to grucche and to aryse. c1391Chaucer Astrol. ii. §29 Tak thanne thyn Astrolabie with bothe handes. 1450W. Lomner in Four C. Eng. Lett. (1880) 4 And toke a rusty sword. 1471Caxton Recuyell i. Pref., [I] forthwith toke penne and ynke and began [etc.]. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lix. 207 Take thy vyall, and geue vs a songe. 1608Topsell Serpents (1658) 595 If a man take a Snake or a Serpent into his handling. 1611Bible John xxi. 13 Iesus then commeth, and taketh bread, and giueth them. 1799Wordsw. Lucy Gray vi, He plied his work;—and Lucy took The lantern in her hand. 1833T. Hook Parson's Dau. i. ii, He could take his hat and go.
b. with the instrumentality not expressed or considered.
c1200Ormin 1338 Þe preost..toc & snaþ þatt oþerr bucc Drihhtin þærwiþþ to lakenn. a1300Cursor M. 5646 Þar-for moyses was his nam, For he was o þe water tan. 1470–85Malory Arthur xxi. v. 849 Syr Bedwere toke the kyng vpon his backe and so wente wyth hym to that water syde. 1584R. Scot Discov. Witchcr. xii. xviii. (1886) 222 Take a cup of cold water, and let fall thereinto three drops of the same bloud. 1611Bible Gen. ii. 22 The rib which the Lord God had taken from man, made hee a woman. 1685Boyle Effects of Mot. Postscr. 155 Take..of the Arsenical Loadstone well pulverised two ounces. 1771E. Haywood New Present 77 Take a quart of shrimps. 1882Southward Pract. Print. xi. 444 While the roller [= pressman's assistant] is taking ink, the pressman should employ the time in looking over the heap.
†c. To take and put (a garment) on one, wrap about one. Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 9746 Fader, i sal on me for-þi, O thral tak clething sothfastli. Ibid. 10419 Sco tok on hir cleþing o care. 1530Palsgr. 746/2 Take this mantell aboute you, affullez ce manteau. a1604Song in Shakes. Oth. ii. iii. 99 And take thy awl'd Cloake about thee.
13. To receive into one's body by one's own act; to eat or drink, to swallow (food, drink, medicine, opium, etc.); to inhale (snuff, tobacco-smoke, etc.).
(For tobacco, the ordinary expression is now to smoke.)
c1200Ormin 7545 Þatt tokenn aȝȝ wiþþ mikell mæþ & aȝȝ unnorne fode. 13..Cursor M. 16762 + 16 He tast it with tonge, Bot þer-of toke he noght. c1400Apol. Loll. 103 Þe meyt comendiþ vs not to God,..but frely it may be tan, & frely left. 1509Barclay Shyp of Folys (1570) 34 Wine ne ale hurteth no maner creature But sharpeth the wit if it be take in kinde. 1601Holland Pliny xx. iv, The best way to take it [the juice of the radish], is at the end of a meale with the last meat. 1617Moryson Itin. ii. 46 He tooke Tobacco abundantly,..which I thinke preserved him from sicknes. 1654–66Earl of Orrery Parthen. (1676) 683 My Soldiers having.. taken a little refreshment. 1675Baxter Cath. Theol. ii. i. 298 It was then a crime with them to take Tobacco, and now it is none: thus custome changes the matter. 1732Berkeley Alciphr. v. §7 Those..who take his physic. 1771Foote Maid of B. i. Wks. 1799 II. 210 Mr. Flint and I, most evenings take a whiff here. 1784Unfortunate Sensibility II. 70 To take a good drink of raw brandy. 1807Southey Espriella's Lett. II. 219 We took an early breakfast. 1852Fitzgerald Euphranor (1904) 73 No doubt he took his glass with the rest. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 429 He died by taking poison. 1879Morley Milton 108 He died at Spa, where he was taking the waters, in September 1653. 1891Murray's Mag. Apr. 532 Inordinately given to taking snuff. 1893Times 22 Apr. 7/5 The Queen..took tea at the Cabanon on the sea shore.
b. To expose oneself to (air) so as to inhale it or get the physical benefit of it; chiefly in phr. to take the air, to walk out in the open air (now rare or arch.): see air n. 5. So to take a bath, to bathe, esp. in a place or vessel prepared for the purpose; but the phrase is also used in sense 52 (cf. bath n.1 6, 1).
1375Barbour Bruce vi. 304 The kyng..of his basnet than had tane, To tak the air, for he wes hate. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 1078 His seruands..Bare him with oute to take þe ayre. 1470–85Malory Arthur vii. xvii. 239 Eyther of hem vnlaced his helme, and toke the cold wynde. 1594Barnfield Affect. Sheph. i. xx, Abroad into the fields to take fresh ayre. 1711Addison Spect. No. 123 ⁋1 As I was Yesterday taking the Air with my Friend Sir Roger. 1777Sheridan Sch. Scand. ii. ii, Lady Betty..was taking the dust in Hyde Park. 1837[see bath n.1 1]. 1866Howells Venet. Life 295 When the faire Venetians go out in their gondolas to ‘take the air’. 1879Edna Lyall Won by Waiting xxxi, Her father..was to take a course of baths [in Germany]. 1890Cornh. Mag. July 7 The English people hurry forth to take the morning air.
c. Phr. take not to be taking any..: not to be in the mood for; to be disinclined for. slang.
1900Daily News 10 Mar. 2/1 In the language of the hour, ‘nobody was taking any.’ 1905Daily Chron. 20 Dec. 3/4 As one of her fellow countrywomen might have said, Frances was not ‘taking any’ pessimism just then.
** with physical action subordinated to the relation produced.
14. To bring, receive, or adopt (a person) into some relation to oneself (e.g. into one's service, protection, tuition, care, companionship, favour). to take to (into) mercy: see mercy n. 5.
c1175Lamb. Hom. 27 Þesne mon ic habbe itaken to mine aȝene bihofþe. a1300Cursor M. 2792, ‘I haue’, [loth] said, ‘doghtres tua, Tas and dos your will wit þaa.’ 13..Ibid. 20106 (Gött.) Þan tok [Cott. name] þe apostel sone on-ane In-tille his keping, þat maidane. 1388Wyclif Ps. xxvi[i]. 10 For my fadir and my modir han forsake me; but the Lord hath take me. 1428in Surtees Misc. (1888) 5 Þat tha tuke hym to þair grace. c1477Caxton Jason 17 b, The fayr Myrro..toke Jason so in her good grace that vnto the deth she louyd him. 1531in Sel. Cas. Crt. Requests (1898) 34 The said abbott..was greaitly laborid to taike to service the said Roger. 1643J. Burroughes Exp. Hosea (1652) 147 If God takes them to mercy we must be ready willingly to take them into brotherly society. 1654Earl of Monmouth tr. Bentivoglio's Warrs of Flanders 54 Being then tane into pay by the Princes. 1794in J. O. Payne Old Eng. Cath. Missions (1889) 14 Took into the Church William Fawcett Grange. 1878Scribner's Mag. XVI. 135/1 He would freely take them into his confidence. 1885Law Times LXXX. 6/2 None were allowed to let their rooms or take lodgers. 1891E. Peacock N. Brendon I. 120 He took pupils to increase his income.
b. spec. in reference to marriage or cohabitation; often in phr. to take to wife, take in marriage.
c1200Ormin 19593 Þat tiss Herode King..haffde takenn all wiþþ woh Filippess wif hiss broþerr. a1300Cursor M. 12667 A man in mariage hir tok, Hight alpheus. c1386Chaucer Melib. ⁋590 (Harl. MS.) If a neet-hurdes douȝter..be riche, sche may cheese of a þousand men which she wol take to hir housbonde. a1400Punishm. Adultery 63 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 369 He rouȝt not what woman he toke. c1477Caxton Jason 97 b, That they shold take eche other by mariage. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 35 b, They bidde him take a Leman lest he attempt to defile honest women. 1687Burnet Cont. Reply to Varillas 77 He professed himself a Lutheran, and took a Wife. 1771Smollett Humph. Cl. 18 July, A young lady..who agreed to take me for better or worse. 1891Cornh. Mag. Dec. 664 He took unto himself a village maid, and settled in Lyndhurst.
c. To possess sexually.
1915D. H. Lawrence Rainbow i. 14 Whether he were going to take her out of inflamed necessity. Ibid. viii. 216 Even if he did not take her, he would make her relax, he would fuse away her resistance. 1930A. Huxley Brief Candles 280 She kissed him again. ‘Take me.’ 1948G. Vidal City & Pillar i. vi. 133 He wanted to throw her on a bed and take her against her will, violently. 1962I. Murdoch Unofficial Rose xiii. 122 ‘Well, it's up to you too, my queen,’ said Randall. ‘You want to be—taken, don't you?’ 1978T. Allbeury Lantern Network viii. 110 She lay with her eyes open as he took her.
15. To transfer by one's own direct act (a thing) into one's possession or keeping; to appropriate; to enter into possession or use of. See also take in possession, s.v. possession n. 1 c; take possession in Phrases below (71).
c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 167 Þe deuel..þan toc his [Job's] oȝen lichame and þer one brohte swo michel sicnesse. c1300Harrow. Hell 103 Heouene ant erþe tac to þe, Soules in helle lef þou me. c1450Godstow Reg. 416 To entre the forsaid tenement and to take and hold all maner of goodes and catallis I-founde in the same. 1535Coverdale Josh. xix. 47 And the children of Dan..toke it in possession, & dwelt therin. 1611Bible John x. 17, I lay downe my life that I might take it againe. 1683Pennsylv. Archives I. 55, I desire thee take the towne of Salem into thy lott. 1795Fate of Sedley I. 189, If he dare to take a bone which they had given to their dogs. 1818Cruise Digest (ed. 2) IV. 378 The question was, whether the heirs of S. Morris took any estate under this appointment. 1883Law Times Rep. XLIX. 155/1 The undertakers..had power to take lands compulsorily.
b. absol. To take possession; spec. in Law, to enter into actual possession.
c1407Lydg. Reason & Sens. 6486 The hunger..gredy, and in-saturable Of wommen for to Acroche and take. 1642tr. Perkins' Prof. Bk. i. §52. 24 There is one named in the Lease who may take immediately. 1706E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 33 But if he gives, he takes too sometimes. 1803Wordsw. Rob Roy's Grave 39 The good old rule..the simple plan, That they should take, who have the power, And they should keep who can. 1818Cruise Digest (ed. 2) VI. 298 The testator intended, that when Francis was dead without issue, the eldest son should take. 1894Daily News 29 June 5/2 The will of December, 1888, they find, was duly executed... The Royal Academy therefore take.
c. To secure beforehand by payment or contract; e.g. to take a house, etc., to engage (a house or other place) for the purpose of occupying it.
1604E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies iv. vi. 223 Many Spaniardes..came thither to take mines. 1670Lady M. Bertie in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 22 My brother Norreys tooke a box and carryed my Lady Rochester and his mistresse and all us to. 1693Humours Town 8, I have within these few days taken a Lodging. 1743Bulkeley & Cummins Voy. S. Seas 196 To take a House in the Country at our own Expence. 1803Pic Nic No. 11 (1806) II. 143 She has now taken a thirty years lease of a house. 1848Thackeray Van. Fair xli, Colonel Crawley and his wife took a couple of places in the same old Highflyer coach. 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 719/1 When he took his farm, it was well cultivated.
d. To get or procure regularly by payment (something offered to the public, as a periodical, a commodity). See also take in, 84 c.
1593Acct. Bk. W. Wray in Antiquary XXXII. 119 May the 28 we begun to take milke of Ann Smith for a halfe penneworth of the day. 1798J. Woodforde Diary 6 Jan. (1931) V. 92 Crouse's Norwich Paper which we used to take, did not arrive. 1808E. Sleath Bristol Heiress III. 40 A morning paper, which Lady Harcourt constantly took. 1852De Morgan in Graves Life Sir W. R. Hamilton (1889) III. 426 You take the Philosophical Magazine, I think. 1897N. & Q. 8th Ser. XII. 354/1 In my boyhood I ‘took’ the Penny Magazine.
ii. With a non-material object.
*** To take to oneself, assume, an attribute, quality, character.
16. a. To assume (a form, nature, character, name, or other attribute); sometimes, to assume the part or character of. to take on oneself, to put on.
c1200Ormin 85 He sennde uss..Hiss Sune..To takenn ure mennisscleȝȝe. a1300Cursor M. 14464 Þai said þat crist suld ta manhede Of a maiden and of þair sede. c1385Chaucer L.G.W. 1142 Dido, That Cupido..Hadde the liknesse of the child I-take. c1440Alphabet of Tales 57 At þe laste he tuke his spiritt vnto hym. 1546Langley Pol. Verg. De Invent. ii. xv. 61 God..toke on him the shape of Man as Abraham sawe him. 1548–9(Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Collect Christmas Day, Almyghtye God, whiche haste geuen us thy onlye begotten sonne to take our nature upon hym. 1605Shakes. Macb. iii. iv. 102 Take any shape but that, and my firme Nerues Shall neuer tremble. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 329 [They] take the Forms his Prescience did ordain. 1711Addison Spect. No. 35 ⁋4 An Impostor..who takes upon him the Name of this young Gentleman. 1810Scott Lady of L. iii. vii, The mountain mist took form and limb. 1844Fraser's Mag. XXX. 532/2 Liddy was really taking the woman upon her in earnest, since she had attained the matronly age of seventeen. 1887Times (weekly ed.) 9 Dec. 16/2 France cannot take the offensive, but she can paralyse Germany and Italy.
†b. To adopt (a law or custom); to undertake or begin to follow or observe. Obs.
c1200Ormin Ded. 7 Broþerr min..Þurrh þatt witt hafenn takenn ba An reȝhellboc to follȝhenn. a1300Cursor M. 19540 Quen þe apostels þan hard sai Samaritans had tan þair wai [other MSS. lay]. c1375Ibid. 2700 (Fairf.) Abraham..was .v. skore bot ane þat day quen þai toke [Cott. vnder-fang] þe new lay. 1474Caxton Chesse ii. i. 21 The peple of tarante toke for a custome that the dronken men shold be punysshyd. a1533Ld. Berners Huon xlv. 151 He thretenethe to slee me by cause I wyll not take on me his law.
c. To assume, adopt (a symbol or badge, or something connected with and denoting a function): in phrases having specific meanings, as:
to take the crown, take the throne, to assume sovereignty; to take the habit, to become a monk; to take the gown, to become a clergyman; to take the ball (at cricket), to assume the position of bowler; to take an oar, to begin to row. See also cross n. 4 c, silk, veil n.
c1330[see cross n. 4 c]. a1380St. Bernard 287 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1878) 46 Whon Bernard hed taken his abyt. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 6620 Þe abyte he toke, as bede of him wryte. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 112 He had taken on him a little before the lyuery of the crosse. 1605Camden Rem. (1637) 344 John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster..took a red Rose to his device. 1784J. Potter Virtuous Villagers II. 135, I have now taken the gown. 1855Browning Protus 39 John the Pannonian..Came, had a mind to take the crown. 1860All Year Round No. 66. 384 ‘Take an oar, sir’, said Philip. 1883Daily Tel. 15 May 2/7 The champion took the ball, vice Penn.
**** To charge oneself with, undertake, discharge.
17. To assume, charge oneself with, undertake (a function, responsibility, etc.). See also take charge (66 below), take in charge (charge 13 b), take in or on hand (hand 42); also 18 a, b.
c1200Ormin 10896 Sannt Iohann..toc þatt wikenn þohh Þa siþþen, whanne he wisste [etc.]. 13..Cursor M. 12390 Trein beddes was he wont to make And þar-for his seruis to take. c1425Ibid. 4795 (Trin.) Lo I am al redy boun Oure aller nedes to take in place. c1450Merlin 3 This feende that toke this enterprise ne taried not. 1647Jer. Taylor Lib. Proph. 193 That every man must take his adventure. 1847Marryat Childr. N. Forest xviii, I think..I would take it [the post] on trial. 1863Kinglake Crimea I. vi. 88 The plan of taking engagements upon possible eventualities. 1890T. F. Tout Hist. Eng. from 1689, 133 Grenville refused to take office without Fox. 1890S. Lane-Poole Barbary Corsairs i. xii. 124 He took service as a boy in the Turkish fleet. 1892Speaker 3 Sept. 279/1 Captain Mayer..was compelled by circumstances to take the responsibility.
b. To subject oneself to (an oath, vow, pledge, or the like): see also oath n. 1, dick n.5
1511–[see oath n. 1]. 1599Shakes. Much Ado ii. iii. 26 Ile take my oath on it. a1715Burnet Own Time an. 1678. iii. (1724) I. 435 A bill..requiring all members of either House..to take a test against Popery. 1803Pic Nic No. 4 (1806) I. 140 She has taken the monastic Vow. 1897‘Sarah Grand’ Beth Bk. xlvi. (1898) 438 I'll take my dick he'll not trouble us with a bill for the next six months.
(b) Phr. to take the Fifth Amendment (U.S.): to appeal to Article V of the ten original amendments (1791) to the Constitution of the United States, which states that ‘no person..shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself’; hence, to decline to incriminate oneself. Usu. ellipt., to take the Fifth.
1955U.S. News & World Report 22 July 36/2 In the armed services, let a man take the Fifth Amendment and his military career is virtually doomed. 1967N.Y. Times 22 Jan. iv. 10/1 (heading) Law: taking the Fifth and making a living. 1972J. G. Vermandel Last seen in Samarra xx. 133 ‘You can hardly have in mind to cast me as a villain because of that.’.. Alex nodded. ‘Right... If you want to take the Fifth, maybe Derek will settle it for us?’ 1976Times Lit. Suppl. 12 Nov. 1413/2 To do what I did not want to do: take the Fifth Amendment. 1978S. Brill Teamsters Pl. 4 (caption) The former gym teacher took the Fifth Amendment when asked about the millions of dollars in insurance he had sold to the Teamsters health and welfare funds.
†c. to take it: to make oneself responsible for a statement; to affirm, asseverate. Const. on (one's death, honour: see on prep. 12). Obs.
1595Shakes. John i. i. 110 Vpon his death-bed he..tooke it on his death That this my mothers sonne was none of his. 1598― Merry W. ii. ii. 12, I took't vpon mine honour thou hadst it not. 1631Weever Anc. Fun. Mon. 379 Guiltlesse of any offence..as he tooke it vpon his death.
18. to take on or upon oneself.
a. To charge oneself with, undertake (an office, duty, or responsibility); to make oneself responsible for. In quot. c 1470 absol.
a1300Cursor M. 20790 He wil noght tak þe cark [MS. F. charge] on him, Quar [F. queþer] þat it be sua soght or nai. 1432Paston Lett. I. 34 The said Erle hath take upon him the governance of the Kinges persone. c1470Henry Wallace vi. 355 Be caus we wait he is a gentill man, Cum in my grace, and I sall saiff him than, As for his lyff, I will apon me tak. a1533Ld. Berners Huon xliii. 143 He wyll take on hym this bateyll ayenst the gyant. 1611Bible Num. xvi. 7 Yee take too much vpon you [Cov. make to moch a doo], ye sonnes of Leui. a1648Ld. Herbert Hen. VIII (1683) 253 That..he should persuade her to enter a Monastery, and take on her a Religious life. 1728in Picton L'pool Munic. Rec. (1886) II. 86 Occasioned by..Mr. Hughes's taking upon him the office of Mayor. 1883Century Mag. XXVI. 608/1 Helen took the blame upon herself.
b. With inf. To undertake; to assume the right, presume, make bold (to do something).
c1275Passion of our Lord 619 in O.E. Misc. 54 Vre louerd him tok on To schewen his apostles þet he wes god and mon. 1449Rolls of Parlt. V. 151/2 Daren not take uppon hem to labour ayenst suche Felons. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxii. 481, I shall take vpon me to make amendes for hym. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cclxxv. 411 To desyre him to take on him to be the Constable of France. 1648Thorpe Charge at York Assizes (1649) 26 If any Person take upon him to be a Badger of Corn. 1724De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 234, I took upon me..to go to Leeds. 1837Hallam Hist. Lit. (1847) I. i. i. §90. 78 Some took on them to imitate what they read. 1885Ld. Coleridge in Law Rep. 14 Q.B. Div. 825 The judgment, which the plaintiff has taken upon himself to sue out and to enter, is wrong.
†c. To profess, claim to do something; to assume, presume that..(with implication that the claim or assumption is unwarranted). Obs.
a1500Wycket (1828) p. viii, Hypocrites that take on them to make oure Lordes bodye. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 29 b, As thoughe I toke vpon me that I could not erre. 1653Gataker Vind. Annot. Jer. 31 The time whereof both of them, contrary to our Saviors avouchment take upon them to determine.
†d. To affect, feign, pretend, make believe, to do something. Obs.
1571tr. Buchanan's Detection E j b, Though thay tuke upon tham as if thay regardit nat these thynges, yet sometyme the rumors..merely prickit them to the quick. 1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. ii. 123 How comes that, sayes he that takes vpon him not to conceiue. 1606― Tr. & Cr. i. ii. 153 Shee takes vpon her to spie a white haire on his chinne.
†e. absol. or intr. To assume authority or importance; sometimes in good sense, to behave bravely or valiantly (quot. c 1470), to put oneself forward, assert oneself (quot. 1720); usually in bad sense, = to take too much upon one, to behave presumptuously or haughtily, assume airs. Obs.
c1470Henry Wallace v. 43 Wallace so weill apon him tuk that tide, Throw the gret preys he maid a way full wide. 1530Palsgr. 747/1, I take apon me, lyke a lord or mayster, je fais du grant. 1581G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. ii. (1586) 109 b, It shalbe the part of a straunger, being in another mans house, not to take vpon him presumptuously. 1637T. Morton New Eng. Canaan (1883) 306 This man..tooke upon him infinitely: and made warrants in his owne name. 1667Pepys Diary 3 June, But, Lord! to see how Duncomb do take upon him is an eye⁓sore. 1720De Foe Capt. Singleton xiii. (1840) 233, I found it was time to take upon me a little.
f. trans. See 16.
19. a. To undertake and perform, conduct, or discharge (a part, function, duty, service, or the like). See also part n. 23.
1411Rolls of Parlt. III. 650/1 A Loveday taken bytwen the same parties by William Gascoigne Chief Justice of the forsaid Benche. 1596[see part n. 23 b]. 1874J. T. Micklethwaite Mod. Par. Churches 60 Each priest..may take those parts of the service designed to him from time to time. 1885M. Linskill Lost Son iv. 58 Will you favour us by taking the tenor? 1889Cornhill Mag. Dec. 623 The female parts in plays being taken by boys and men. 1890Pictorial World 15 May 616/1 She would take the grammar class at ten and the arithmetic class at eleven. a1910Mod. The assistant master who takes duty also takes preparation. The canon who was taking residence that day.
(b) spec., to answer (a telephone call).
1970P. Moyes Who saw her Die? iii. 37 The shrilling of the telephone provided a welcome release... Dolly said, ‘I'll take it.’ 1976G. Sims End of Web i. 13 ‘Sorry, I'll have to take it. Might be a friend I was trying to contact this morning.’.. He picked up the phone. 1979C. MacLeod Luck runs Out iv. 37 The telephone rang. ‘I'll take it,’ said Shandy.
b. Phr. to take pains, take trouble (also formerly take labour, take toil, etc.): to take upon oneself and exercise these activities and qualities; to exercise care and diligence: see also pain n.1 5, 6, trouble n.
13..Cursor M. 4789 (Gött.) Loke quilk of ȝu sal take on hand For vs all take þis trauaile. 1528Impeachm. Wolsey in Furnivall Ballads from MSS. I. 360 Whoo hathe þis matyr so playnly declaryd, or hathe the labowur Take. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lxxxiii. 262 Ye shall not nede to take the laboure. 1600Tourneur Transf. Metamorph. lv, But (Knight) belieue me, I have t'ane much toile. 1794Marquis of Buckingham in 14th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 489, I am sure you have taken every pains to do whatever you imagined might best forward my wishes. 1893Liddon, etc. Life Pusey I. xviii. 420 His unlimited capacity for taking trouble.
***** To adopt or assume as one's own.
20. To adopt as one's own (a part or side in a contest, controversy, etc.), to range oneself on, ally oneself with (a side or party); see part n. 23 c, party n. 5, side n.
c1420, etc. [see part n. 23 c]. 1530Palsgr. 750/1, I take ones parte, I holde with hym in a mater, je prens partye. 1606G. W[oodcocke] Hist. Ivstine xxxvi. 114 Shewed in derision to the people that had tooke part with him. 1751Eliza Heywood Betsy Thoughtless II. 199 To take the party, which would best become his honour and reputation. 1820L. Hunt Indicator No. 15 (1822) I. 118 No wonder that the Queen of France took part with the rebels against..her husband.
b. absol. or intr. in same sense: to take against, to oppose; to take for, to support, back up, side with. rare. (See also take with, 75 d.)
c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 15312 And for Englische mennes sake, Ageyn þe oughte we to take. 1770Foote Lame Lover ii. Wks. 1799 II. 70 A wise man should well weigh which party to take for. 1892Longm. Mag. Mar. 558 ‘You are not taking against me?’ he exclaimed suspiciously.
21. To assume as if one's own, to appropriate or arrogate to oneself (credit, etc.); to assume as if granted, e.g. to take leave, take liberty, etc.: see also liberty n.1 5 b. to take for granted: see 48.
1525Ld. Berners Froiss. II. xxi. 46 Wherfore this Kyng Iohan toke tytell to make warr. 1611Beaum. & Fl. Philaster i. i, Kissing your white hand [Mistress] I take leave, To thank your royal father. 1625–[see liberty n.1 5 b]. 1627–77Feltham Resolves i. xxxi. 53 Hamans thirst was Honor: Achitophel took the glory of his Counsel. 1820Examiner No. 612. 7/1 We would take leave to recommend..an alteration. 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 564/1 Voltaire took all sorts of liberties with his mother tongue. 1870Rogers Hist. Gleanings Ser. ii. 93 He took credit to himself that..her son remained stanch.
22. Gram. Of a word, clause, or sentence: To have by right or usage, either as part of itself or with it in construction (a particular inflexion, accent, case, mood, etc.) as the proper one.
1818Blomfield tr. Matthiae's Grk. Gram. I. 208 Verbs..which are derived from compound adjectives, take the augment at the beginning. Ibid. 472 The following verbs..take the genitive of the thing. 1860Goodwin Grk. Moods & Tenses 220 Causal sentences regularly take the Indicative. 1876Kennedy Publ. Sch. Lat. Gram. §20 All Declensions take the Ending m for Masc. and Fem. Nouns. 1881Chandler Grk. Accentuation §767 The following take the accent on the penultimate.
IV. Pregnant senses related to III.; usually including a notion of choice, purpose, use, employment, treatment, or occupation.
* Connoting choice.
23. To pick out from a number: either by chance, at random; or with intention, to select, choose.
c1275Lay. 12176 Ten þusend cnihtes tock Gracien forþrihtes [c 1205 he chæs..ten þusend cnihten]. 1382Wyclif 1 Sam. xiv. 42 Saul seith, Leyeth lot betwix me and Jonathan my sone. And Jonathas is taken. 1535Coverdale ibid., Saul sayde: Cast the lot ouer me and my sonne Ionathas. So Ionathas was taken. 1612Two Noble K. ii. iii. 70 [Peasant] Thou wilt not goe along? Arc. Not yet, sir. [P.] Well, sir, take your owne time. 1625Bacon Ess., Ambition (Arb.) 225 Good Commanders in the Warres, must be taken, be they neuer so Ambitious. 1742Francis tr. Hor. Sat. i. iv. 31 Take me a man, at venture, from the crowd. 1769Johnson 29 Oct. in Boswell, I'll take you five children from London, who shall cuff five Highland children.
** Connoting purpose, use, employment.
24. To adopt or choose in order to use in some way; to adopt in some capacity (const. as, for); hence, to employ for a purpose, to have recourse to, avail oneself of, proceed to use (a means or method); to seize (an opportunity, etc.). See also take day in Phrases below (67), advantage n. 5 b, measure n. 21, occasion n.1 1.
13..Cursor M. 29177 For a reule þis sal þou take. 1471Sir J. Paston in P. Lett. III. 15 Thys next terme I hope to take on [= one] weye with hyr or other. 1483–4Act 1 Rich. III, c. 2 §1 That suche exaccions..afore this tyme takyn be take for no example to make suche or any lyke charge..hereafter. 1561[see occasion n.1 1]. 1579Fulke Heskins' Parl. 316 He taketh times and occasions at his pleasure. 1605Shakes. Macb. iii. i. 23 We should haue else desir'd your good aduice..In this dayes Councell: but wee'le take to morrow. 1667Dryden Sir Martin Mar-all iii. i, If thou wilt have a foolish word to lard thy lean discourse with, take an English one. 1686tr. Chardin's Coronat. Solyman 122 He knew..how to take his Measures to the ruine of his Competitors. 1728Ramsay Bonny Chirsty iv, He wisely this white minute took, And flang his arms about her. 1729Bp. Waddington in Lardner's Wks. (1838) I. p. lxiii, You have certainly took a very proper and christian way with him. 1758S. Hayward Serm. Introd. 11 What special methods could be taken to stem the tide of immorality? 1789Triumphs Fortitude I. 101, I shall take the first opportunity of sending the books I promised. 1820Examiner No. 614. 39/1 That great genius is taken as the standard of perfection. 1867Howells Ital. Journ. 118 We raised our sail, and took the gale that blew for Capri. 1890Blackw. Mag. CXLVIII. 442/2 Every possible means is now taken to conceal the truth.
b. To take into use, to use, have recourse to (one's hands, a tool, weapon, etc.) for doing something. to take a stick (etc.) to, to use it to beat (a person, etc.). (Sometimes with mixture of sense 12.)
1768Sterne Sent. Journ. (1778) II. 25, I took both hands to it. 1888Stevenson Black Arrow iv. ii. 208 He had ta'en his belt to me, forsooth! 1889‘Lewis Carroll’ Sylvie & Bruno iv. 53 ‘Take a stick to him!’ shouted the Vice-Warden.
c. esp. To take into use or employment, to have recourse to as a means of progression (a vehicle, ship, horse, one's limbs, etc.); to enter or mount for a journey or voyage. Often without article, as to take boat, take coach, take ship, etc.: see also take to (74 b), take horse (70 a); heel n.1 20, leg n. 2 b , wing n. (Cf. 25.)
c1450[see 70 a]. 1517R. Torkington Pilgr. (1884) 46 We toke our assys at the Mownte Syon,..and rode the same nyght to Bethlem. 1530Palsgr. 751/1, I take shyppe or the see, je monte sur la mer... Where toke they shyppyng, ou est ce quilz monterent sur la mer. 1576[see boat n. 1 d]. 1654tr. Scudery's Curia Pol. 19 If the Duke of Guise..had speedily taken post, and fled from Blois. 1672Sir C. Lyttelton in Hatton Corr. (Camden) 86, I am..just taking coach to give his Rll Highnesse y⊇ paru bien after his late danger. 1721De Foe Col. Jack (1840) 199, I took the packet-boat, and came over to England. 1844Fraser's Mag. XXX. 603/1 He takes ship for Ireland. 1885‘Anstey’ Tinted Venus viii. 95 I've a good mind to take the tram to the Archway. 1892Monthly Packet Apr. 444 They..took train to London.
25. To gain the aid or help of (a place) by betaking oneself to it; to gain, reach, repair to, go into, enter (esp. for refuge or safety); to get into or on to: = take to, 74 c. Often in special phrases: see field, ground, inn, land, refuge, sanctuary, sea, wall, water, etc.
c1205Lay. 7976 He droh in ane hælue & toc þan [c 1275 tock to] herberwe. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 5397 Hauene he tok at Porcestre. c1400Laud Troy Bk. 10501 Thei token the toun with mychel spede..To saue her lyues. 1461Paston Lett. II. 52 The Duc of Excestre and th'erle of Pembrok are floon and taken the mounteyns. 1480Caxton Chron. Eng. clxx. 155 They that myght take the bridge escaped. 1485― Paris & V. 43 He took the ryuer wyth hys hors. 1512Act 4 Hen. VIII, c. 2 §2 If any murderer..hadde taken any Church or Churchyerd or murder. 1565Stapleton tr. Bede's Hist. Ch. Eng. 169 Beinge vysited with syeknesse he toke his bedde. 1583Reg. Privy Council Scot. III. 600 Constraning him to tak his hous for the saifty of his lif. 1618Rowlands Night Raven (1620) 12 A cruell Beare, which forc'd him take a tree. 1831Examiner 443/2 Vipers occasionally take the water. 1852R. F. Burton Falconry Valley Indus v. 61 note, The first falcon..caused the quarry to take the air. 1868Stanley Westm. Abbey v. 364 But the right of asylum rendered the whole precinct a vast ‘cave of Adullam’ for all the distressed and discontented of the metropolis who desired, according to the phrase of the time, to ‘take Westminster’. 1880T. Stevenson in Encycl. Brit. XI. 455 A harbour which may be easily taken and left in stormy weather.
b. To adopt and enter upon (a road, way, path, course, etc., lit. or fig.); to betake oneself to, begin to go along or by: sometimes with mixture of sense ‘to choose, select’ (23). See also course n. 11 b, 22, way n.
a1300Cursor M. 17643 To ierusalem he tok þe strete. 1375Barbour Bruce ii. 146 All him alane the way he tais. c1380Sir Ferumb. 3152 Þus othere toke þat cors an haste. 1513Douglas æneis vi. viii. 1 With all his speid fra thens he tuke the gait. a1533Ld. Berners Huon xxi. 63, I counsell you to take the long way. 1590Spenser F.Q. i. i. 10 So many pathes,..That which of them to take in diverse doubt they been. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 459 Pleas'd I am, no beaten Road to take. 1749Fielding Tom Jones vii. x, Which way must we take? 1827Hallam Const. Hist. (1876) I. iii. 115 Elizabeth had taken her line as to the Court of Rome. 1895Law Times Rep. LXXIII. 22/1 The court..left the parties to take their own course.
c. to take (a place or person) in (on) one's way, to touch at or visit in one's journey; to include in one's route.
a1622R. Layne in Capt. Smith Virginia i. 8, I..sent Pemissapan word I was going to Croatan, and tooke him in my way. 1676Wood Life (O.H.S.) II. 342 Wee went home and took Pershore in the way. 1701W. Wotton Hist. Rome, Marcus vi. 85 He did not take Rome in his way. 1837Lockhart Scott xliv, Scott..asked me to walk home with him, taking Ballantyne's printing office in our way.
d. intr. to take and = to go and s.v. go v. 32 c. dial. and U.S. colloq.
1836Southern Lit. Messenger ii. 388/2 If you do so I will take and tell father. 1859T. Hughes Scouring of White Horse vi. 129 This here..maypowl wur the last in all these parts..but..the Uffington chaps cum up, and tuk and carried 'un down ther’. 1876‘Mark Twain’ Tom Sawyer i. 8 I'll take and bounce a rock off'n your head. 1901J. Barlow From Land of Shamrock 17 Her cherished Nellie ‘took and died on her’ of some mysterious malady. 1925W. Faulkner As I lay Dying 44 ‘She's gone,’ Cash says. ‘She taken and left us,’ pa says. 1977‘L. Egan’ Blind Search viii. 133 Poor soul, this awful cancer. She took and died inside of three months.
*** Connoting treatment.
26. trans. To proceed or begin to deal with or treat in some way or do something to; hence, to ‘take in hand’, ‘tackle’, deal with, treat.
See also take at advantage (advantage n. 5 c), take it easy (easy B. 4), take in turns (turn n.). (In quot. 1671, to settle, adjust, make up: = take up, 93 u.)
1523[see advantage n. 5 c]. 1596Harington Metam. Ajax (1814) 12 He will take a weak man at the vantage. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts 418 This disease.., if it be taken in any time, it is easie to be holpen. 1671H. M. tr. Erasm. Colloq. 62 They themselves will better take this difference among themselves. 1720Mrs. Manley Power of Love (1741) 281 Being taken at such disadvantage; his Valour would have signify'd little. 1734Pope Ess. Man iv. 227 Men in their loose unguarded hours they take, Not that themselves are wise, but others weak. 1737Bracken Farriery Impr. (1756) I. 169 The Business is to take the Distemper in its first Stage. 1812Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 176 To fight two enemies at a time, rather than to take them by succession. 1896Law Times C. 438/2 Admiralty Appeals with Assessors will be taken in Appeal Court I on Wednesday. 1896Daily News 30 May 8/4, I shall not take physiology next year, but I shall give some teaching on the subject in the way of object lessons in hygiene.
b. To use, deal with, or treat (a name or word) in some way. to take in idle, in vain.
c1200Ormin 4402 Þatt tu ne take nohht wiþþ skarn, Wiþþ hæþinng, ne wiþþ idell Þe name off ure Laferrd Crist. c1315Shoreham iii. 91 Honury þou schelt enne god..Take nauȝt hys name in ydelschepe. c1386[see idle B. 1 b].
c. To proceed to deal with mentally; to consider; to reckon. So to take into or under consideration, to proceed to consider (see consideration 2 c). See also take together, 92 c.
c1200Ormin 325 Tacc nu þiss streon þatt tuss wass sibb Wiþþ preostess & wiþþ kingess. Ibid. 335, 339. 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie iii. xix. (Arb.) 236 For example ye may take these verses. 1602Shakes. Ham. i. ii. 197 He was a man, take him for all in all: I shall not look vpon his like againe. a1635Sibbes Confer. Christ & Mary (1656) 66 Take a good Christian at the worst, he is better than another at the best. 1747W. Horsley Fool (1748) II. 319 Take one Man with another now in Prison. 1820Examiner No. 615. 51/1 If the Chamber were to take the petitions into its consideration. 1836Brande Chem. (1841) 138 Let us take a fresh-water lake as an example. 1892Cassell's Fam. Mag. Aug. 516/1 This, taken with his secretaryship,..left him but little leisure.
d. slang. To confront, attack; to overcome, defeat; to kill.
1939‘E. Queen’ in Blue Bk. Oct. 17 Seems to me the champ ought to take this boy Koyle. 1956E. L. Perry in A. Hitchcock Stories for Late at Night (1962) 273 Let's take him... That fat guy looks really loaded. 1963D. Cory Hammerhead xi. 161 There were two men now in the doorway, both with pistols... One of them Fedora might have taken; but not, he reluctantly decided, both. 1965I. Fleming Man with Golden Gun vii. 97 It had been damned fine shooting... How in hell was Bond going to take him? 1976Publishers Weekly 1 Mar. 93/3 They broke their tie with the Giants and went on to take the Tigers in seven wild World Series games. 1979E. Bercovici Wolftrap 41 The man who tried to take me was Martinez... Next time I am going to kill him.
**** Connoting occupation.
27. To proceed to occupy, enter on the occupation of (a place or position, lit. or fig.). See also chair n.1 9, floor n.1 4, ground n. 11 c, place n. 13 b, 27, post n.3 2, precedence 3, 4, seat, stand, etc.
c1205Lay. 7976 He droh in ane hælue & toc þan herberwe. a1300Cursor M. 11443 Þai toke þair gesting in þe tun. 1390Gower Conf. III. 293 This yonge Prince, as seith the bok, With hem his herbergage tok. 1430–40Lydg. Bochas ix. xxxi. (Bodl. MS. 263) lf. 432/2 The ground Itake of wilful pouerte. 1605Shakes. Lear iii. vi. 38 Thou robed man of justice, take thy place. 1711Addison Spect. No. 165 ⁋5 They took Post behind a great Morass. 1750Gray Long Story 111 She curtsies, as she takes her chair. 1807–8W. Irving Salmag. iv. (1811) I. 71 The latter has taken his winter quarters..in the corner room, opposite mine. 1883Fargus Cardinal Sin xii, It was soon her turn to take the stage. 1888Scottish Leader 27 July 6/7, I took the chair at a meeting to promote the candidature of a Radical as a member for Parliament.
†b. intr. ? ellipt. for take place, to occur. rare.
c1374Chaucer Troylus iv. 1534 (1562) And yf so be þat pes her-after take As alday happeþ after anger game.
28. To use, occupy, use up, consume (so much material, space, time, energy, activity, etc.): = take up, 93 w (b). Sometimes nearly = ‘need’ or ‘require’. Hence (colloq.) to require (a person or thing of so much capacity or ability) to do something.
to take (one's) time: to allow oneself sufficient time (to do something); hence (sarcastically), to be ‘quite long enough’, i.e. too long: to loiter.
a1578Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 251 This scheip..tuik so mekill timber that scho waistit all the wodis in Fyfe. 1590Shakes. Mids. N. i. i. 83 Take time to pause. c1710C. Fiennes Diary (1888) 239 At ye ffeete of the bed that tooke ye Length of the roome. 1713Berkeley Hylas & Phil. i. Wks. 1871 I. 284, I will take time to solve your difficulty. 1753Chambers Cycl. Supp. s.v. Lime, Lime-stone generally takes sixty hours in burning. 1788W. Cowper Let. 18 Aug. (1904) III. 303, I took my own time to return, and did not reach home till after one. 1796[see time n. 8 a]. 1858Glenny Gard. Every-day Bk. 134/1 They take less room on than off. 1873Hardy Pair of Blue Eyes III. i. 21, I don't press you for an answer now, darling... Take your time. 1890Field 8 Mar. 364/1 Any ignoramus can construct a straight line, but it takes an engineer to make a curve. 1893Nat. Observer 7 Oct. 541/2 The remainder of the Life will take two more volumes. 1912W. B. Yeats Land of Heart's Desire (ed. 7) 11 It's precious wine, so take your time about it. 1925W. Faulkner As I lay Dying 246 ‘Let him take his time,’ I said. ‘He ain't as spry as you, remember.’ 1946, etc. [see sweet a. 8 d]. 1966A. Higgins Langrishe, go Down iii. 28 Taking her time, Helen cycled slowly by the wall of the Charter School. 1981‘E. Ferrars’ Experiment with Death iv. 68 Emma suggested that Sam had probably gone to the lavatory. ‘If so, he's taking his time,’ Roger said.
b. A person is said to take a particular size in gloves, boots, collars, etc., implying that that is the size which fits.
1897Flo. Marryat Blood Vampire ii, [She] informed me the other day that her Mamma took nines in gloves.
c. to have (got) what it takes: to possess the necessary attributes or qualities, esp. those needed for success. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
1929Amer. Speech IV. 357 To avoid using the word money, the well-informed user of slang may use..the needful, the wherewithal,..or what it takes. 1933F. Baldwin Innocent Bystander ix. 186 Angela, who has planty of what it takes, is the White Hope of the arty crowd which gathers at her penthouse. 1944M. Laski Love on Supertax iv. 49 Only maturity's got what it takes. 1947D. M. Davin For Rest of our Lives 335 The cheap verses had everything it takes to make a soldier's song. 1956B. Holiday Lady sings Blues (1973) iv. 41 Sometimes I wonder how we survived. But we did. If we didn't have what it took at the beginning, we picked it up along the way. 1972J. Wambaugh Blue Knight (1973) xiii. 225 He's got everything it takes but guts. 1977Zigzag Apr. 26/1 They've got the right idea and what it takes.
d. it takes all sorts to make a world: see sort n.2 11 d.
e. to take one all one's time: see time n. 8 d.
29. To begin or start afresh after leaving off, or after some one else; to resume; = take up, 93 r, s. (Also absol.) to take the word, to begin to speak, esp. after or instead of some one else: see word n.
c1400Destr. Troy 747 Now turne to our tale, take þere we lefte. 1500[see word]. a1547Surrey æneid iv. 144 Quene Juno then thus tooke her tale againe. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 219, I must forsake This Task; for others afterwards to take. 1825Scott Betrothed xix, Eveline remained silent. The abbess took the word.
b. to take it from there: to take over or continue from the point or situation described.
[1948Radio Times 19 Mar. 5/3 A new weekly comedy series, Take It From Here, will make its appearance..on Tuesday evening.] 1959Internat. Celebrity Reg. 430/1 Miss Shearer informed the studio of her find. They took it from there. 1960Wodehouse Jeeves in Offing xix. 188 His future hangs on this speech, and we've got it and he hasn't. We take it from there. 1973Ottawa Jrnl. 14 July 24/3 They interrupt each other and talk until the breath gives out and then another one cuts in and takes it from there. 1975N. Luard Travelling Horseman vi. 167 I'd tell him what I'd found out and he could take it from there.
V. To obtain from a source, to derive.
30. To get, obtain, or derive by one's own act from some source (something material or non-material); to adopt, copy, ‘borrow’ (also absol., quot. 1493); to take example of, ‘get’ or ‘learn’ from some one (quot. 1544). See also ensample n. 2 b, example n. 6 c.
c1200Ormin 14470, Ȝiff þu bisne takenn willt Off þise tweȝȝenn breþre. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 5273 Þre þousand pound ylka ȝer..Of alle þe lond gedered & tan. 13..Cursor M. 17288 + 175 Cott. (insert.) To haf mercy of synful men Ensaumple at him he toke. c1386Chaucer Wife's Prol. 183 Rede it in his Almageste and take it there. c1460Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. x. (1885) 131 Þat we now serch how the kyng mey haue such livelod; but ffirst, off what comodites it mey best be take. 1493Festivall (1515) 145 b, [Luke] loked what Marke and Mathewe had wryten, and so toke at them. 1544Bale Chron. Sir J. Oldcastell in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) I. 269 Of them [Annas & Caiaphas] onely haue ye taken it to iudge Chrystes members, as ye do. 1606G. W[oodcocke] Hist. Ivstine xxx. 101 Schollers which from him as their tuter had tane theyr practise. 1732Berkeley Alciphr. iii. §9 The proportions of the three Grecian orders were taken from the human body. 1766Goldsm. Vic. W. xvii, All the ladies of the continent would come over to take pattern from ours. 1878H. H. Gibbs Ombre 8 The Frontispiece..is taken from Seymour's ‘Compleat Gamester’.
b. spec. To obtain from its natural source (e.g. stone from a quarry), to get; to pluck, gather (plants, a crop). Now rare.
c1477Caxton Jason 121 b, And thenne she was..borne into alle the Regyons of the world where she gadred and toke many herbes of dyuerce facons and condicions. 1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. ii. xi. 46 Mines whereof are taken great quantity of stone. 1844Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. V. i. 174 In taking the crop reaping is universal.
31. To derive, ‘draw’ (origin, name, character, or some attribute or quality) from some source. Const. from, in, of.
c1200Ormin 16340 Adam..Off whamm I toc mi bodiȝlich. c1205Lay. 29410 Brutaine hit wes ihaten of Bruttin nom taken. 13..Cursor M. 36 Ilk a frouit..takes fra þe rote his kinde. Ibid. 20085 He þat toke of hir his fless..hang a tre þar nailed to. 1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) II. 255 Men of Assiria toke theire name of Assur, men of Hebrewe of Heber. 1474Caxton Chesse iii. i. (1883) 77 We were first formed and toke our begynnyng of the erthe. 1586W. Webbe Eng. Poetrie (Arb.) 56 Ryme, taken from the Greeke worde ρυθµος. 1660H. Bloome Archit. A j, The..Columnes called Dorica, taking beginning of Dorus, Prince of Achaia and Peloponnesus. 1772Sir W. Jones Ess. i. Poems, etc. (1777) 186 The Turks..took their numbers, and their taste for poetry from the Persians. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xxii. IV. 776 No English title had ever before been taken from a place of battle lying within a foreign territory.
†b. To infer, deduce; to obtain as a result.
c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 343 But hou shulde men take of þis to roune wiþ prestis & þus to be assoiled? c1391Chaucer Astrol. ii. §25 Adde thanne thilke declinacion to the altitude of the sonne at noon and tak ther the heuedes of aries & libra & thin Equinoxial. c1449Pecock Repr. 54 Of which..text thei taken that whoeuer is a persoon of Saluacioun schal soone understonde the trewe meenyng of Holi Scripture.
32. To get as a result or product by some special process.
a. To get (information, evidence, etc.), or ascertain (a fact), by inquiry, questioning, examination, or the like; also transf., to perform or carry on (an examination or the like) in order to ascertain something (cf. 52).
1460Rolls of Parlt. V. 388/1 By Inquisitions tane uppon ychone of the same Wyrtes. 1511–12Act 3 Hen. VIII, c. 21 Preamble, An untrue Inquysicion taken before your Eschetoure in the seid Countie. 1583T. Stocker Civ. Warres Lowe C. i. 68 b, Information which was taken by the Inquisitours here aboutes. 1596Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, iv. i. 133 Let vs take a muster speedily. 1600in Shaks. Cent. Praise (1879) 35 The examination of Sr Gelly merick Knyght taken the xvijth of Februarij, 1600. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 626 Himself their Herdsman, on the middle Mount, Takes of his muster'd Flocks a just Account. 1705Lond. Gaz. No. 4139/5 The King..took a Review of the Forces. 1768Blackstone Comm. III. iv. 59 A commission of assise, directed to the judges and clerk of assise, to take assises; that is, to take the verdict of a peculiar species of jury called an assise. Ibid. vii. 101 [The judge] takes information by hearing advocates on both sides, and thereupon forms his interlocutory decree or definitive sentence at his own discretion. 1817M. Edgeworth Harrington ii. (1832) 21 He hastened down to the country to take the sense of his constituents. 1863H. Cox Instit. iii. vii. 698 He never disposes of any important preferments without taking the pleasure of the Crown. 1890Cornhill Mag. Sept. 276 Tests are taken to see if the cable has sustained any damage. 1893National Observer 7 Oct. 524/1 A Bill on which it dare not take the country's opinion.
b. To get or ascertain by measurement or scientific observation; also transf., to make, perform (a measurement, an observation). See also measure n. 2 c, 3 a.
c1430[see measure n. 2 c]. c1470Henryson Mor. Fab. x. (Fox & Wolf) v, Bot Astrolab, Quadrant, and Almanak,..The mouing of the heuin this Tod can tak. 1579Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 38 The height of Heauen is taken by the staffe. 1598Philip tr. Linschoten i. xciii. 170/1 Taking the hight of the Sunne, we found ourselues to be under 37 degrees. 1622Massinger Virg. Mart. iii. iii, Misery taking the length of my foot, it boots not me to sue for life. 1663Butler Hud. i. i. 122 For he by Geometrick Scale Could take the Size of Pots of Ale. 1697Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. i. (1703) 111 The Taylor should take measure of their quality as well as of their limbs. 1847Tennyson Princ. iii. 153 That afternoon the Princess rode to take The dip of certain strata to the North. 1887Westall Capt. Trafalgar xviii. 236 Isn't it about time for taking the sun?..it is four days since we knew our position. 1900E. C. E. Lückes Gen. Nursing xii. (ed. 2) 147 The temperature has to be taken every hour. Mod. The weather was too cloudy to take any observations.
†c. To measure off (a length or distance). Obs.
1660Barrow Euclid i. ii. Schol., The line AG might be taken with a pair of compasses. 1669Sturmy Mariner's Mag. i. ii. 32 Take with your Compasses the Line C. 1831Brewster Optics iv. 38 From a scale on which hm is 1·500, take in the compasses ‘1’.
33. a. To obtain in writing, write down, make (notes, a copy, etc.); to write down (spoken words), report in writing (a speech, etc.). Also in phr. to take a letter: to write a letter down in shorthand from another's dictation.
1591–1875 [see note n.2 13 b]. 1601Shakes. All's Well iv. iii. 130 His confession is taken, and it shall bee read to his face. 1653H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xv. 48 Taking an inventory of this prize. 1708in Burton's Diary (1828) III. 93 His Majesty sent for Mr. Rushworth, the Clerk, whom he observed to take his speech in character. 1712F. T. Shorthand p. vi, 'Tis by Short-Hand that all Speeches, Homilies, Tryals, Sermons, &c. are..taken. a1715Burnet Own Time ann. 1672 (1823) I. 538 He would not let me take a copy of it. 1732Berkeley Alciphr. iv. §1 To stand by,..and take notes of all that passeth. 1776Trial of Nundocomar 22/1 The Monshy took the copy by my directions. 1883M. D. Chalmers Local Govt. iii. 41 Minutes of the meeting must be taken. 1901S. Paget Mem. Sir J. Paget iii. (ed. 2) 61 He had no clinical clerks, and his cases were not taken. 1943K. Tennant Ride on Stranger x. 110 He seated himself at his table... ‘Will you take a letter, please?’.. Her pencil travelled quite speedily after his words. 1961Times 7 June 2/5 Director of general publishing house..needs an assistant-cum-secretary. Will be expected to ‘take letters’.
b. To obtain by drawing, delineating, etc.; to make, execute (a figure or picture, now esp. a photograph, film, of some object or event); also transf. to obtain or make a figure or picture of, to portray; now esp. to photograph or film. Occas. intr. Also (colloq.) intr. for pass. (with qualifying adv.) of a person: To be a (good or bad) subject for photographing. Cf. take n. 9 a.
1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts 757 Another picture..which he tooke by another of these Cats in the possession of the Duke of Saxony. 1664Wood Life, etc. (O.H.S.) II. 20, I went to the castle [Bampton]..and took the ruins thereof. 1751T. Hollis in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 379 A Scheme for taking and publishing the Antiquities existing at Athens. 1766Goldsm. Vic. W. xvi, A limner, who travelled the country, and took likenesses for fifteen shillings a head. 1789Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France I. 150 Her portrait..will not be found difficult to take. 1859Reeve Brittany 48 Mr. Taylor took the view three times before he quite satisfied himself as to the quality of the negative. 1889Mallock Enchanted Isl. 230, I took a photograph of their church. 1889B. Howard Open Door ix. 145 The photographers..say a woman ‘takes’ better standing. 1899F. V. Kirby Sport E.C. Africa xxviii. 310, I wished for my camera, for never was there a better chance of ‘taking’ one of these animals. a1910Mod. A snap-shot taken by an amateur. 1917N.Y. Times 25 Feb. 4/1 Two thousand persons participated in the coronation, which required two full days to ‘take’, despite the fact that it remains on the screen only three minutes. 1929H. B. Abbott Motion Pictures with Baby Ciné ii. 4 It has already been stated that the motion picture is made, or ‘taken’, in a special camera, and that the medium upon which the picture is made is a celluloid film coated with a sensitive emulsion. 1954N. Bau How to make 8mm. Films 99 (caption) Hold the camera absolutely steady while taking. Ibid. 100 If you are taking a hand-held shot, hold the camera as steady as possible. 1974Daily Tel. 2 May 3/4 Using a friend's projector and screen, he ran a short colour film taken at the wedding.
VI. To take something given or offered; to receive, accept, exact, and related senses.
* To receive what is given or bestowed.
34. To receive, get (something given, bestowed, or administered); to have conferred upon one (spec. a sacrament, office, order of merit, degree, etc.); to win, or receive as won (a prize, reward); to gain, acquire (experience, etc.; see also to take success, s.v. success). Also absol.
c1200Ormin 5378 Forr to takenn hæle att himm Off iwhillc unntrummnesse. 13..Cursor M. 12755 (Gött.) In water baptist he alle þa Þat come til him baptim to ta. c1375Ibid. 19531 (Fairf.) Simon..toke þe sacrement of hali kirk. 1382Wyclif Matt. vii. 8 Eche that axith, takith. ― 1 Cor. xi. 24 For the Lord Ihesu..took breed..and brak, and seide, Take ȝe and ete ȝe. c1435Torr. Portugal 2168 And ye now will liston a stound How he toke armes of kyng Calomond. [Cf. arm n.2 15.] c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 5412 Þar he toke tonsure brade. c1450tr. De Imitatione iii. lix. 250 It is more blessyd to gyue than take. 1617Moryson Itin. i. 29 In the house where the Doctors, and other Graduates take their degrees. 1689T. R. View Govt. Europe 74 The Nations round about submitted and took Laws from him. 1766Entick London IV. 31 The will is to be proved, and administration is to be taken. 1805Scott Last Minstr. iv. xxvi, Knighthood he took of Douglas' sword. 1888Mrs. H. Ward R. Elsmere iv. 50, I don't feel as if I should ever take orders.
b. To receive (something inflicted); to have (something) done to one; to suffer, undergo, submit to.
c1200Ormin Pref. 90 Þatt he toc dæþ o rode. 1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 12626 God graunte vs grace,..for oure synne swyche penaunce [to] take, Þat we be neuer more a-teynt. 13..[see penance n. 2]. 1485Caxton Chas. Gt. 220 To the ende that they shold not take deth that day. 1581Rich Farewell (Shaks. Soc.) 212, I will not see her take a manifest wrong. 1663Butler Hud. i. ii. 947 He took the Blow upon his Arm. 1748G. White Serm. (MS.), He had much rather take, than do, wrong. 1869Freeman Norm. Conq. III. xii. 162 The mere senseless love of giving and taking blows without an object. 1879C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iv. iii. 39 He professed himself ready to take his trial.
c. To receive (something said to one); to receive information of, to hear; in imp. often = ‘let me tell you’. Somewhat arch.
1595Shakes. John i. i. 21 Then take my Kings defiance from my mouth. 1596― Tam. Shr. ii. i. 191 Take this of me, Kate of my consolation,..My selfe am moou'd to woo thee for my wife. 1609Heywood Brit. Troy xii. lxiv, After they had tooke and given the Time of Day. 1671Milton Samson 1570 Then take the worst in brief, Samson is dead. 1805Scott Last Minstr. iv. xxvi, Take our defiance loud and high.
d. take that!: (a) said as an accompaniment to the delivery of a blow; (b) used, with a suggestion of challenge or defiance, to emphasize a foregoing statement.
a1425Cursor M. 16290 (Trin.) Wiþ his hond a buffet he ȝaf ihesus ful sore..‘take þat to teche þe lore’. 1805C. Wilmot Let. 7 Dec. in Russ. Jrnls. (1934) ii. 209, I don't pity you in the least. Take that for asking me to write you ‘beautiful Russian storys’. 1846W. E. Forster in Reid Life I. vi. 186 The fact is, they will soon wear nothing. There; take that! 1932Kipling Limits & Renewals 81 ‘Then take that!’ and he smacked the brute's head. 1942Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §158/8 Take that and see how you like it! 1983A. Olcott May Day in Magadan xiv. 249 His pride was stung. ‘They want me..’ he said, with an unthinking ‘take that!’ tilt of his nose.
35. To enter into the enjoyment of (pleasure, recreation, rest, or the like). See also ease n. 2, nap n.2 b. (Cf. 13.)
13..Cursor M. 6317 (Gött.) Þat niht he ȝede and tok his rest. c1350Will. Palerne 2488 [Þei] hiȝed hem homward fast..& token redli here rest. 1530Palsgr. 749/2, I take my rest. 1549Latimer Serm. Ploughers (Arb.) 38 In the meane tyme the Prelates take theyr pleasures. 1597Beard Theatre God's Judgem. (1612) 328 Before any other should take tast thereof. 1752C. Lennox Fem. Quix. i. i, Sometimes he took the diversion of hunting. 1779Mirror No. 60 One of the company proposed that they should take a game at cards. 1897Mrs. Rayner Type-writer Girl x. 108 So perforce I took holiday.
** To receive what is due or owing; to exact.
36. To receive or get in payment, as wages, etc., or by way of charge or exaction as a fine, tribute; sometimes with connotation ‘accept’ (cf. 39), or ‘charge, exact, demand’ (cf. 37, 38).
a1300Cursor M. 16485 ‘Tas’, he said, ‘your penis here A felun folk er yee’. 13..Ibid. 28405 Agains will i lent my thing, And quilum tok þar-for okeryng. 1427–8Rec. St. Mary at Hill 68 Also for a carpenter iiij dayes..takyng vj d & his mete a day. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon ix. 216 Straunge knyghtes that were come vnto hym to take wages. 1579Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 133 This olde miser asking of Aristippus what he woulde take to teache and bring vp his sonne. 1684Contempl. State Man i. vi. (1699) 64 What would he now take for all the Honours of this World. 1708in Picton L'Pool Munic. Rec. (1886) II. 83 For takeing greater interest..than by law is allow'd. 1842Browning Pied Piper ix, A thousand guilders! Come, take fifty! 1896Act 59 & 60 Vict. c. 59 §2 (b), Provided always..that no money for admission be taken at the doors.
37. To exact (satisfaction or reparation) for an offence; hence, to execute, inflict (vengeance, revenge; † punishment, † justice). Const. on, † of.
a1300Cursor M. 5862 Þat suerd apon hus tak na wrak. Ibid. 6094 O þam mi wengeance sal i take. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 202 Whan God took wreche of Kaymes synne. 1474Caxton Chesse ii. v. (1883) 68, I wold take vengeance and turmente the. 1533Bellenden Livy i. ix. (S.T.S.) 52 Þat he mycht Iustlie tak punycioun of all þe Albane pepill. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 127 His fellowes take punishment of him, and fall on him, biting and rending his skin. 1633[see revenge n. 4]. a1774Goldsm. tr. Scarron's Com. Romance (1775) II. 118 The counsellor..had need of all his good sense to prevent him from taking immediate justice on a man, who sought to injure him so capitally. 1779Forrest N. Guinea 313 To take satisfaction..for the death of Fakymolano's brother at Ramis.
†38. To receive, exact, or accept (a promise, engagement, oath, or the like); hence, to administer or witness (an oath). to take an oath of, to take (any one) sworn: see oath n. 1, sworn ppl. a.
c1450,1599[see oath n. 1]. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 55 b, Then began he to take stipulation of them. a1715Burnet Own Time an. 1672 (1823) I. 538 He took a solemn engagement of her, that, if scruples should arise in her mind, she would let him know them. 1833Act 3 & 4 Will. IV, c. 74 §82 [He] shall be competent to take the acknowledgment of any married woman wheresoever she may reside. 1873Act 36 & 37 Vict. c. 66 §84 Commissioners to take oaths and affidavits in the Supreme Court.
*** To accept.
39. To receive (something offered), not to refuse or reject; to receive willingly; to accept. Freq. in phr. take it or leave it and varr., expressing indifference or a refusal to bargain, compromise, etc. Cf. take-it-or-leave-it adj. s.v. take-.
c1200Ormin 4828 Ȝiff þatt we takenn bliþeliȝ Att Godd all þatt iss sellþe. c1330Amis & Amil. 1112 Y schal for the take bataile. c1400Prymer (1895) 50 Take oure preier, & late þe merci of þi pitee assoile hem þat ben boundun wiþ þe cheyne of synnes. a1500in C. Trice-Martin Chanc. Proc. 15th C. (1904) 3 To thentent that she shuld not be taken to bayle, but kept still in prisone. 1534More Treat. Passion Wks. 1281/1 Such as wil take the benefite. 1576W. Lambarde Perambulation of Kent sig. 2D3v, I..doe leaue the Reader to his free choice, to take or leaue the one, or the other. 1591Shakes. Two Gent. iii. i. 100 Take no repulse, what euer she doth say. 1664T. Killigrew Thomaso in Comedies, & Tragedies i. iv. ii. 361 That is the price, and less I know, in curtesie you cannot offer me; take it or leave it. 1697in N. & Q. 10th Ser. (1908) IX. 378/2 There was not one of the House of Commons but..would take a bribe. 1762J. Wesley Let. 21 May (1931) IV. 182 As to that particular expression, ‘Dying at the feet of mercy’, I have only farther to add, I do not care as it is not a scriptural phrase, whether anyone takes or leaves it. 1809B. H. Malkin tr. Le Sage's Gil Blas x. x. 39, I will give forty [pistoles] at a word; take them or leave them. 1837Dickens Pickw. ii, Gentleman says he'll not detain you a moment, sir, but he can take no denial. 1848Thackeray Van. Fair xxii, She held out her hand with so frank and winning a grace, that Osborne could not but take it. 1898W. S. Churchill in R. S. Churchill Winston S. Churchill (1967) I. Compan. ii. 917 The tremendous & unchallenged power of the Trust—enabled it to dictate wages to its workmen & prices to its customers. ‘Take it or leave it’ it said ‘This is a free country.’ Thereat the oil-mechanic had to accept the offered wage or find another trade and the customer to buy the oil at the offered price or wait in the dark. 1904S. Weyman Abbess of Vlaye iii, There's a party ringing at the gate, my lord, and—and won't take no! 1929D. H. Lawrence in Forum Jan. p. l/3 The hen knows she is unanswerable... There it is, take it or leave it! 1953A. Upfield Murder must Wait xi. 105, I cock a snook at you... You can take it or leave it. 1962Wodehouse Service with Smile x. 151 Her air was that of somebody who, where Ickenhams were concerned, could take them or leave them alone. 1977P. G. Winslow Witch Hill Murder ii. xv. 206, I didn't want to..say I'd gotten married and he could take it or leave it, because I was afraid he'd leave it.
b. Of a female animal: To admit (the male). See also take horse in Phrases, 70 c. In extended use, of a woman. rare.
1577[see 70 c]. 1759Brown Compl. Farmer 65 Neither can they suckle their young, till they have taken buck. 1845Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VI. ii. 363, I..set down..the Ewes as they take the ram. 1864Ibid. XXV. i. 254 The number of hours during which they take the bull varies from 24 to 48. 1932W. Faulkner Light in August x. 212 There were white women who would take a man with a black skin. 1941N. Mailer Advts. for Myself (1961) 36 When I take a man, and I may take him for a lot of reasons, in back of it all is the feeling..that that is something I can do better than any other woman.
c. Of fish (with mixture of sense 2 b): To seize (the bait). Also absol.
1863W. C. Baldwin Afr. Hunting vi. 205 They take admirably, but we have only crooked pins for hooks, and cannot catch many. 1867F. Francis Angling v. (1880) 162 Sometimes fish rise quickly and take quickly. 1889Mrs. E. Kennard Landing a Prize III. i. 6 Fish always take best after rain.
40. To accept (a wager, or the person who offers to lay the wager). So also in reference to a proposal, etc.: see also to take any one at his word.
1602Rowlands Greene's Ghost 49, I take you, sayd one or two, and the wager being layd, awaie they went. 1719De Foe Crusoe (1840) II. xiii. 268, I was for taking him at that proposal. 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 678/2 I'll take ten to one on it. 1890Field 24 May 757/1, 800 to 100 was taken about him. 1890Clark Russell Ocean Trag. I. vi. 123 He bet me a sovereign... I took him.
b. to take one's death (upon a thing): to stake one's life upon it.
1533Becon Reliques Rome (1563) 59 He tooke hys death thereon, that he was neuer giltye. 1593Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, ii. iii. 90, I will take my death, I neuer meant him any ill.
41. To accept and act upon (advice, a hint, warning, etc.).
c1300St. Margarete 136 Þt maide..seide..goþ fram me anon; Anoþer consail ich haue itake, ich forsake ȝou echon. c1400Destr. Troy 12869 The troiens full tite token his rede. 1605[see advice 5]. 1610Shakes. Temp. ii. i. 288 They'l take suggestion, as a Cat laps milke. 1611[see hint n. 1]. 1718Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to Lady Rich 10 Oct., They..took the first hint of their dress from a fair sheep newly ruddled. 1877C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iii. xxxiv. 363 Would that France had taken to itself the teaching! 1892Punch 29 Oct. 196/2 [He] begged others to take warning by his fate. 1899Tit-Bits 28 Oct. 109/2 ‘Come along, dear, take your call’, said he, pulling back the heavy curtains.
b. To accept as true or correct; to believe (something told to one). Freq. in phr. take it from me: believe me, take my word for it, be assured. (Cf. 34 c.) Also, to accept mistakenly as trustworthy, to be deceived by (quot. 1728): cf. take in, 84 o.
c1200Ormin 2824 Forr þatt tu toc wiþþ trowwþe Þatt word. 1587in W. M. Williams Ann. Founders' Co. (1867) 69 He givinge his fayth promyse to Mr. Alderman... Mr. Alderman tooke his worde, and rose, and went his ways. 1605Shakes. Lear iv. vi. 144, I would not take this from report. 1622Massinger Virg. Mart. ii. i, We have not been idle, take it upon my word. 1672Wycherley Love in Wood (Dedication) sig. A2v, Madam, take it from me, no man..is more dreadful than a Poet. 1728Eliza Heywood tr. Mme. de Gomez's Belle A. (1732) II. 142 The King seeing that they had took the Feint, said at Night,..Ghent is invested, and we must go anon to raise the Siege. 1829G. Griffin Collegians I. v. 101 Who should walk in the doore to him, only his dead wife..! Take it from me he didn't stay long where he was. 1889Philips & Wills Fatal Phryne II. iii. 76 You may take it from me that the pot means what it says. 1902H. James Wings of Dove i. 20 You may take it from me once for all that I won't hear of any one of whom she won't. 1938A. Christie Death on Nile ii. xvii. 178, I think you must take it from me, Mr. Pennington, that we have examined all the possibilities very carefully. 1957D. Robins Noble One xix. 177 You can take it from me that I don't believe a word of it.
42. To accept with the mind or will in some specified way (well, ill, in earnest, etc.). See also to take it on the chin (chin n.1 1 d), to take to heart (heart n. 44), to take it lying down (lie v.1 21 d), take in good (etc.) part (part n. 26 b), take in scorn, take in snuff, to take it in one's stride (stride n. 3 d).
c1200Ormin 7390 Biforenn þa þatt tăkenn all Onn hæþinng þatt we spellenn. a1300Cursor M. 4619 Nai, sir, tas noght in despite. Ibid. 16396 Quen [Pilate] sagh þat al his soigne þai tok it al to ill. c1386Chaucer Wife's T. 342 To hym that taketh it in pacience. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 1049 Þir wordes cuthbert wysely toke. 1530Palsgr. 747/1, I take a thyng a mysse, je mesprens. 1553Latimer Serm., on Twelfth Day (1635) 293 b, There is a common saying amongst us.., Every thing is (say they) as it is taken, which indeed is not so: for every thing is as it is, howsoever it be taken. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iv. (1586) 182 b, They take it ill, and presently leaue working. 1579W. Wilkinson Confut. Familye of Loue B ij, Take this brief..aunswere..in good part. 1671Lady M. Bertie in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 22, I take it very ill that none of my nephews would drawe mee. 1728Morgan Algiers I. Pref. 26 Multitudes of People..would take it in excessive Dudgeon to be thought unfashionable. 1758Johnson Let. to Miss Porter 1 Mar., I shall take it very kindly if you write to me. 1872Black Adv. Phaeton x. 145 The Lieutenant took the matter very coolly. 1888L. Spender Kept Secret III. i. 15, I did not mean you to take me in earnest.
b. To accept without objection, opposition, or resentment; to be content with; to put up with, tolerate, ‘stand’. Also to take things as one finds them, also to take (people) as one finds them: to judge people without preconceptions; to accept people as they are, esp. by expecting no special preparations for one's entertainment, etc.
1470–85Malory Arthur xx. vi. 805 Ye shalle take the wo with the wele, and take hit in pacyence, and thanke god of hit. 1535Coverdale 2 Kings xiv. 10 Take the prayse, and byde at home. [1548E. Hall Union Lancaster & York fol. ccxliiv, Myne aduise is, let all men trust them, as thei fynde them.] 1580A. Munday Zelauto sig. H2v, In the meane whyle, take as you finde. 1595T. Maynarde Drake's Voy. (Hakl. Soc.) 18 He resolved to departe, and to take the winde as God sent it. 1596J. Harington Metamorphosis of Ajax sig. B4v, We must now take him as we finde him, with all his faults. 1638W. Chillingworth Relig. Protestants i. v. 241 But reall externall deeds doe take things in grosse as they find them, not separating things which in reality are joyned together. c1779R. Cumberland in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 410, I take events as they fall without murmur or complaint. c1807Jane Austen Watsons (1954) 351, I am one of those who always take things as they find them. I hope I can put up with a small apartment for two or three nights. 1809Malkin Gil Blas v. i. ⁋38, I had the good sense to take things as I found them. 1825in H. Wilson Mem. I. 147, I could have been a little romantic about you, it is true; but I always take people as I find them. 1868Dickens in Our Young Folks May 260 We have but a simple joint..but if you will take us as you find us it will be so kind! 1886G. B. Shaw Cashel Byron's Profession xiv. 148 You can either take me as you find me, or let me alone. 1896Wills in Law Times Rep. LXXIII. 689/1 If he does not conform to their law, he must take the consequences. 1903A. Bennett Leonora ii. 47 She's gotten sausages for you..though I told her you'd take us as you found us. 1912A. Lang Shakespeare, Bacon & Great Unknown xii. 247, I am only taking Ben as I find him and as I understand him. 1943K. Tennant Ride on Stranger vi. 49 All these go by wearing the peevish expression of a housewife who, not having time to make the beds, grumbles: ‘You must take us as you find us.’ 1980T. Barling Goodbye Piccadilly vii. 129 ‘Do we phone ahead in the name of protocol?’ ‘Hell, no. We take them as we find them.’
c. to take a joke: to be able to bear teasing or amusement at one's expense; usu. in negative.
1780J. Woodforde Diary 28 Mar. (1924) I. 276 Poor Sam cant take a Joke. I forgot what I said to disoblige him. 1838C. Fox Jrnl. 4 Apr. in Memories Old Friends (1882) iv. 27 Speaking of Dr. [John] Dalton, he said he could not take a joke at all. 1863M. B. Chesnut Diary 14 Dec. in C. V. Woodward M. Chesnut's Civil War (1981) xx. 505 When he saw how angry I was, he said, ‘Can't you take a joke?’ 1921E. O'Neill Diff'rent i. 223 Mrs. Crosby... Shet up your foolin’, Jack. Jack... Nobody in this house kin take a joke. 1972D. Delman Sudden Death (1973) ii. 59 It was a joke. Hell with anybody who can't take a joke.
d. to (be able to) take it: to have the capacity to endure punishment, affliction, etc.
1862in H. Mayhew London Labour (ed. 2) III. 387/2 That first flogging made me ripe. I said to myself, ‘I can take it like a bullock.’ 1914O. W. Holmes Let. 24 Sept. in Pollock-Holmes Lett. (1942) I. 222, I value everything that shows the quiet unmelodramatic power to stand and take it in your people. 1941W. S. Churchill in Unrelenting Struggle (1942) 190 If the storm is to renew itself, London will be ready, London will not flinch, London can take it again. 1952Chambers's Jrnl. Apr. 196/2 But as soon as I hadn't got Derek—well, I just couldn't take it. 1976C. Bermant Coming Home i. vi. 87 A slogan, like ‘Britain can take it’.
e. to take things (or it) as they (or it) come(s): to deal with events as they arise, without anticipating difficulties.
1509A. Barclay tr. Brandt's Ship of Fools fo. 266 recto, That man folowes hye wysdome Whych takys all thynges lyke as they come. 1611J. Davies Scourge of Folly 170 Take all things as they come, and bee content. So many whores do, and yet pay their Rent. 1863‘Ouida’ Held in Bondage I. ix. 203 The true secret is to take things as they come. 1926[see bottom n. 11 c]. 1979V. Kelleher Voices from River iii. 34, I was trying not to think... I kept telling myself, take it as it comes.
f. to take on board: see board n. 14 e.
43. To face and attempt to get over, through, up, etc. (something that presents itself in one's way), or actually to do so; to clear (an obstacle, as a fence, ditch, wave, space, etc.); to mount (a slope), get round (a corner), clear (the points on a railway line), etc.
1579Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 912/2 To take hedge and ditch, and go on forwards through brambles and briers. 1632Massinger & Field Fatal Dowry iv. i, I look about, and neigh, take hedge and ditch. 1838Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl. I. 139/2 The tendency to..friction in passing round curves, and the difficulty of taking the points. 1843R. J. Graves Syst. Clin. Med. xxxi. 428 He..is able to run up, taking two of the large stone stair-steps at each spring. 1859Geo. Eliot A. Bede xii, Nothing like ‘taking’ a few bushes and ditches for exorcising a demon. 1864Good Words 628/1 His pony ‘takes timber’ without asking a question. 1892Graphic 9 Apr. 467/1 The proper course to steer is for Craven Cottage Point, which can be taken rather closely. 1972M. Kenyon Shooting of Dan McGrew xxii. 184 He took the corner like a rally driver. 1976‘B. Shelby’ Great Pebble Affair 181, I took the lakeshore S curve designed for thirty mph at fifty-five.
**** To admit, absorb, include.
44. a. To admit, let in; to receive something fitted into it (quot. 1793): = take in, 84 a.
1674tr. Martiniere's Voy. Northern C. 27 A small hole in the Keel, which took a little water. 1793Smeaton Edystone L. §244 The cavities cut on the under side..to take the upper half of each cube. 1890Temple Bar Mag. Mar. 371 The Anonyma..several times took more water than we liked.
b. To absorb or become impregnated with (something detrimental, as moisture); to be affected injuriously by; to contract (disease, infection, injury, etc.); to fall into (a fit or trance). See also air n. 11, cold n. 4 a, b, wind.
13..Cursor M. 23089 (Gött.) Of nakedhede quen i toke [Cott. drogh] harm Ȝe gaf me clething wid to warm. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 109 Þat þe water..takeþ no defoul, but is clene i-now [etc.]. 1513Act 5 Hen. VIII, c. 4 §1 (3) If the same Worsted..taketh any Wet, incontinent it will shew spotty and foul. 1530Palsgr. 747/2, I take colde, je me morfons. 1547Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 78 Personis that..takis seikness in our Soverane Ladyis army. 1555Eden Decades 16 The vytayles corrupted by taking water. 1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, v. i. 85 As men take diseases, one of another. 1639N. N. tr. Du Bosq's Compl. Woman ii. 22 That lampe of the Romans, which..went out as soone as it tooke Aire. 1712Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) III. 301 The Book hath taken wet, and the Letters..are hardly visible. 1864Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XXV. ii. 559 Both sheep took the disease. 1885Mrs. E. Lynn Linton Chr. Kirkl. III. x. 309 A man who takes all the epidemics afloat.
c. To absorb, contract, become impregnated with (a dye, colour, quality, salt, etc.); to receive, become affected by (an impression, a polish, or the like).
1592Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 354 His tendrer cheeke receiues her soft hands print, As apt as new falne snow takes any dint. 1601Holland Pliny xxxv. vi, It will take colour and be marked verie well. a1642Sir W. Monson Naval Tracts ii. (1704) 264/1 No Flesh in the Indies will take Salt. 1697Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. ii. (1703) 122 To see the cheeks take the dye of the passions thus naturally. 1727A. Hamilton New Acc. E. Ind. I. xxii. 260 The Flesh was not so savoury..nor would it take Salt kindly. 1865Reader 1 Apr. 371/2 It takes dyes admirably—much better than cotton. 1877W. R. Cooper Egypt. Obelisks i. (1878) 3 A granite, or hard sandstone, capable of..taking a high polish.
d. absol. or intr. To become affected in the required or desired way: in various applications, as: to catch fire, kindle; to become coated or impregnated with something; to become inoculated; to become frozen; to catch the wind. Occas. pass. Cf. sense 6 c above.
1599Shakes. Hen. V, ii. i. 55, I can take, and Pistols cocke is vp, And flashing fire will follow. 1683Moxon Mech. Exerc., Printing xxiv. ⁋10 He trys if his Balls will Take, that is..: If he finds the Inck sticks to it equally all about.., it Takes. 1781Quebec Gaz. 11 Jan. 2/1 It has not been known to take so early as the month of December. 1793Regal Rambler, or, Devil in Lond. 40 Our hero laid in a large cargo of fresh fuel, ready to touch and take like phosphorus. 1820G. Simpson Jrnl. Occurrences in Athabasca Dept. (1938) 100 This is an unusual late season as the Lake usually takes from the 15th to the 20th Oct. 1830J. Macmillan Let. 15 Dec. in G. P. T. Glazebrook Hargrave Corr. 1821–43 (1938) 58 We had a very mild fall. The river was not taken before 6th of Decr. 1846Dickens Cricket on Hearth 30 Vaccinated just six weeks ago-o! Took very fine-ly! 1871Scribner's Monthly II. 458 When the rivers are beginning to ‘take’ or freeze. 1890Whitelegge Hygiene xii. 264 Many [people] ‘take’ readily within five years [of vaccination].
†45. trans. To include, comprise; to contain: = take in, 84 k. Obs.
c1200Ormin 15076 Þa fetless tokenn, seȝȝþ Goddspell, Twinne mett, oþerr þrinne. a1637B. Jonson Hymn on Nativity ii, He whom the whole world could not take,..Was now laid in a manger.
b. Of water: to take (one) up to (the ankles, knees, shoulders), over (the head), to submerge (one) to that depth. Now Sc.
1654Z. Coke Logick To Reader, Truths that before delug'd you, will now take you but up to the Ancles. 1818Scott Rob Roy xxx, Mountain torrents, some of which took the soldiers up to the knees. 1878Saxon Gallovedian Gossip 15 The sea took him abune the knees. Mod. Sc. There's a deep hole there, that will take a man over the head.
VII. Senses related to VI, denoting intellectual action.
* To apprehend mentally, to conceive, understand, consider.
46. To receive and hold with the intellect; to grasp mentally, apprehend, comprehend, understand: = take in, 84 l. (Now only in reference to the meaning of words.) to take (someone's) point (and variants): see point n.1 28 c.
1382Wyclif John i. 5 And the liȝt schyneth in derknessis, and derknessis tooken [1388 comprehendiden] not it. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 4656 Goddis wisdome þat none may take [L. incomprehensibilis]. 1551Robinson tr. More's Utopia ii. (1895) 214 Thys kynde of learnynge..they toke so muche the souner. 1666Pepys Diary 30 July, The girl do take musick mighty readily. 1737Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 278 The Reader will easily take the Meaning. 1860Thackeray Round. Papers i. (1899) 170 You take the allegory? Novels are sweets. 1893National Observer 11 Mar. 413/2 An audience..quick to take his points.
b. transf. To apprehend the meaning of, understand (a person, i.e. what he says).
1513Douglas æneis i. Prol. 318 Quha takis me nocht, go quhair thai haue ado. 1622Bacon Holy War Wks. 1879 I. 525/2 You take me right, Eupolis. 1707J. Stevens tr. Quevedo's Com. Wks. (1709) 350 Do you take me Sir? 1810Crabbe Borough x. iii. Wks. 1834 III. 180, I spoke my thought—you take me—what I think. 1882Stevenson New Arab. Nts. (1884) 219, I am not in this affair for him. You take me?
47. a. With adv. or advb. phr. To understand or apprehend in a specified way. Also with person as obj. In quot. a 1300, ‘to understand to be meant’: cf. 48 b.
a1300Cursor M. 1379 [God] Þe fader in cedre þou sal take, A tre of heght, þat has na make. 13..Ibid. 28974 Chastiyng o flex[e]s foure fald to tak In praier, fasting, wand, and wak. c1460R. Ros La Belle Dame 582 And so must he be take in every place. 1552Bk. Com. Prayer, Communion (ad fin.), Leste yet the same kneelyng myghte be thought or taken otherwyse. 1642tr. Perkins' Prof. Bk. viii. §522 So was the law taken in Anno 4. H. 3. 1665Bunyan Holy Citie 164, I the rather take it thus,..Because [etc.]. 1721Bradley Philos. Acc. Wks. Nat. 155 If we take the Story of it right.
†b. With simple compl. To understand as, suppose to be, consider as: = take for, 48; also, to understand to mean: = 48 b. Obs.
13..Cursor M. 28121 (Cott.) And titter wald i lesyng make Þan man my worde vn-treu to take. c1400Apol. Loll. 35 Þo hous of God her is tane þe congregacoun of feiþful men. 1538Treat. Bps. Rome Supremacy i, In times past the Bishop of Constantinople tooke himself highest of all bishops. 1660Milton Free Commw. Wks. 1851 V. 421 They took themselves not bound by the Light of Nature or Religion to any former Covnant. 1709Steele Tatler No. 1 ⁋9, I take my self obliged in Honour to go on.
c. With dependent clause: To suppose, apprehend, assume as a fact, be of opinion (that..). Usually take it.
c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 460 Cristenmen taken ouer þat petre was cristis viker, & suyde hym in maner of lif. 1429Rolls of Parlt. IV. 346/1 So take that the saide Cominaltes been no Cominaltes corporat. 1538Audley in Lett. Suppress. Monasteries (Camden) 240, I take it that your lordshypp ys at appoynt for me to have it. 1596Shakes. Merch. V. i. i. 63, I take it your owne busines calls on you. 1603― Meas. for M. iv. ii. 110 As I take it, it is almost day. 1642tr. Perkins' Prof. Bk. v. §354 It is commonly taken, that if a wife run away from her husband..shee shall loose her dower. 1709Steele & Addison Tatler No. 93 ⁋4 Within this Height I take it, that all the fighting Men of Great Britain are comprehended. 1842Tennyson E. Morris 43, I take it, God made the woman for the man, And for the good and increase of the world. 1885Law Times LXXX. 118/2 The learned counsel might take it that this court overruled the objection.
d. With inf. To understand, consider, suppose, imagine, assume (to be or to do something).
1548Udall Erasm. Par. John 16 b, Men toke him to be mine inferiour. 1663Butler Hud. i. ii. 889 For Men he [the Bear] always took to be His Friends, and Dogs the Enemy. a1677Barrow Serm. Wks. 1716 III. 72 He that taketh himself to have enough, what doth he need? 1719De Foe Crusoe (1840) II. vi. 151, I take that man to be a..penitent. 1878Huxley Physiogr. 63 It may be taken roughly to represent one inch of rain.
e. to take (something) as done: to consider an omission not to have occurred; to take (something) as read: see read v. 11 e.
1893E. F. Benson Dodo I. i. 9 You haven't congratulated me. Never mind, we'll take that as done.
48. to take..for.
a. To suppose to be, consider as; often, with implication of error, to suppose to be (what it is not), to mistake for; to assume to be; also † to esteem or repute as (obs.: cf. 49). Freq. in phr. what or who(m) do you take me for? said as a challenge to a derogatory implication, as of foolishness, dishonesty, etc. take for granted: see granted 2 b.
c1435Torr. Portugal 1333 Gret lordys..for a doughty knyght hym tase. c1515Cocke Lorell's B. 3 A man wolde take hym for a shrewe I trowe. 1579Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 65, I am not so childishe to take euery bushe for a monster. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 388 We will take it for granted that it pertaineth not to that rank or order. 1632Lithgow Trav. ix. 396 An Eagle taking his bald pate for a white rocke, let a shell-fish fall on it. 1693Tate Juvenal xv. 178 So soft his Tresses..You'd doubt his Sex, and take him for a Girl. 1712Addison Spect. No. 289 ⁋1, I have been sometimes taken..for a Parish Sexton. 1847A. & H. Mayhew Greatest Plague vii. 87, I wanted to ask her who the dickens she took me for. 1889Stevenson Master of B. x. 267 Do you take me for a fool? 1892Kipling & Balestier Naulahka xvii. 202 ‘You won't get the chance,’ said Tarvin unshakenly... ‘What do you take me for?’ 1912C. Mackenzie Carnival xxx. 293 ‘What do you take me for?’ enquired Irene. ‘I take you for what you are—a rotter.’ 1921W. J. Locke Mountebank xiii. 164 ‘You haven't given me away?’ ‘My good girl,’ I protested, ‘what do you take me for?’ 1927W. S. Maugham Constant Wife iii. 186 But, my poor John, whom do you take us for? Am I so unattractive that what I'm telling you is incredible? 1939G. B. Shaw Geneva ii. 32 Then you went to school, did you? Begonia. Well, of course: what do you take me for? 1983‘R. B. Dominic’ Flaw in System xx. 129 What do you take me for? A simp?
b. To understand to mean, to interpret as. Now rare or Obs. † In quots. c 1200, 1340 in converse sense: To reckon or count as, to include in the meaning of (obs.).
c1200Ormin 19029 Tacc nu þe sawle forr þatt mann Þatt cumeþþ her to manne. 1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 2818 Alle þir four stedes..for helle þai may alle be tane, Of whilk four purgatory es ane. 1596Harington Metam. Ajax (1814) 24 Which word many of the simple hearers and readers take for a precious stone. 1684J. P. tr. Frambresarius' Art Physic iii. 95 Generally the Word Aposteme is taken for any Tumor which is preternatural. 1697Evelyn Architects Misc. Writ. (1825) 379 Otherwhiles it [the astragal] again is taken for the hoop, cincture or collar next the hypotrachelium.
49. To regard, consider, hold, esteem (as); to estimate, reckon (at so much).
1531–2Act 23 Hen. VIII, c. 3 That any Utlarie..pleded or alleged..shalbe taken but as voide plee. 1534Whitinton Tullyes Offices i. (1540) 49 He was take as a gret and a famous man. 1605Camden Rem. 36 This is to be take as a granted veritie. 1820Examiner No. 620. 130/2 We are to take the word liberal..as a piece of irony. 1893Eng. Illustr. Mag. X. 310/2 An average length of stroke may be taken at about six yards.
†b. pa. pple. (with qualifying adv.) Reputed, esteemed. Obs.
1518in Ld. Berners Froiss. (1812) Pref. 17 Sir John Style..well beloued and well takyn in theis partes. 1526Tindale Rom. xvi. 7 Andronicus and Junia my cosyns..which are wele taken amonge the apostles. 1535Coverdale Judith xvi. 21 Iudith was..right honorably taken in all the londe of Israel. 1597–8Bacon Ess., Followers & Fr. (Arb.) 34 A thing ciuile, and well taken euen in Monarchies.
** To conceive and exercise.
50. To begin to have or be affected by (a feeling or state of mind); to conceive; hence, to experience, entertain, feel (delight, pleasure, pride, etc.).
See also delight n. 1 b, fright n. 1, huff n. 2 b, interest n. 7, offence n. 5 c, pet n.2, pleasure n. 5 f, pride n.1 4, umbrage, etc.
c1200Ormin 19558 Þatt tatt Farisewisshe follc Strang wraþþe takenn haffde. a1300Cursor M. 448 Agains him [God] he tok a pride. 1390–[see offence n. 5 c]. 1390Gower Conf. II. 100 Wherof the king gret hevynesse Hath take. 1470–85Malory Arthur iv. i. 119 Take none heuynesse, said Merlyn. Ibid. vi. xv. 207 She took suche sorou that shee dyed. 1535Coverdale Ezek. xxxvi. 31 Ye shal take displeasure at youre owne selues, by reason of youre synnes and abhominacions. a1553[see grief n. 4 b]. 1694Acc. Sev. Late Voy. Introd. 6 Upon some disgust taken at his Master. 1773Life N. Frowde 15 Persons to whom I had taken so much Dislike. 1888H. F. Lester Hartas Maturin III. ii. 41 Women do take prejudices.
b. absol. or intr. To take a fancy or liking: cf. take to, 74 g, take with, 75 c.
1600J. Dymmok Treat. Irel. (1841) 6 They are quicke and capable, kind harted where they take. 1874Hardy Madding Crowd xviii, Mistress and man were engaged in the operation of making a lamb ‘take’, which is performed whenever a ewe has lost her own offspring, one of the twins of another ewe being given her as a substitute.
†c. to take on oneself: to become distressed or disturbed in mind: = take on, 86 j. Obs.
1632J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 121 The Prince,..because he found him not, tooke on him like a mad man.
51. trans.
a. To conceive and adopt with the will (a purpose, resolution, etc.), or with the intellect (an estimate, view, etc.); to form and hold in the mind. See also purpose n. 2 b, rede n.1 2 b.
a1300Cursor M. 11151 He..tok his redd al for to fle, Priuelik and latt hir be. 1375–[see purpose n. 2 b]. 1513Douglas æneis v. i. 10 The Troianis in thare breistis tuk ane ges Quharfor it was. 1652Needham tr. Selden's Mare Cl. 37 A conclusion [was] taken to refer all to their several Princes. 1660Barrow Euclid Pref. (1714) 2, I took a Resolution to make use of most of the Schemes of the said Book. 1749Fielding Tom Jones vii. ii, Having taken a resolution to leave the Country. 1891Law Times XC. 462/2 We do not take the alarmist view of our correspondent.
b. To conceive and exercise (courage, heart, etc.; † mercy (obs.), pity, etc.); to form in the mind and exhibit in action. (Sometimes nearly coinciding with sense 16 a, to assume: cf. also branch VIII.) See also courage n. 4 d, heart n. 49, heart of grace, pity n. 2.
13..Guy Warw. (A.) 4656 Now, sir, take þerof pite. 13..,1530[see heart n. 49]. 13..Cursor M. 27136 Quen þou tas to þe baldhede O gretter mans sinful dede. 1483Caxton G. de la Tour A viij, Wherfore God took mercy on them. c1490–1841 [see courage n. 4 d]. 1530–1890 [see heart of grace]. 1593R. Bancroft Daung. Posit. ii. vii. 54 They haue taken greater boldnesse, and growen more rebellious. a1715Burnet Own Time an. 1672 (1823) I. 538 No popish priest had ever taken the confidence to speak to her of those matters. 1888Times (weekly ed.) 18 May 3/4 The Arabs would have taken fresh heart.
c. To exercise with the mind, in thought (note, notice, † intent, etc.), or with the mind and will, in action (care, heed, † diligence, etc.). Cf. branches VIII, IX. See also care n. 3 c, heed n. 1 b, intent n. 2, keep n. 1, 2, note n.2 20 b, notice n. 6, 7, regard n. 6 b, tent n.2, thought n. to take care of: see also care n.1 4 b.
a1225Leg. Kath. 1379 Þe deore Drihtin areaw us, & toc read to ure alde dusischipes. a1300–[see keep n. 1, 2]. c1305–[see heed n. 1 b]. 13..Cursor M. 27228 Ilk man þat will ta ȝeme. c1368Chaucer Compl. Pite 82 But ye the rather take cure To breke that perilouse alliaunce. c1375Cursor M. 12592 (Fairf.) Hamward þai went & to ihesu toke nane entent. c1425Ibid. 7937 (Trin.) Son he seide take good gome Ȝyuen þou hast þin owne dome. c1475Songs & Carols 15th C. (Percy Soc.) 54 To here song then tok I intent. 1564–5Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 320 Quhairunto hir Hienes and hir Counsall mon tak ee and regard. 1588–[see care n. 3 c]. 1592–[see notice n. 6, 7]. 1596–[see note n.2 20 b]. 1784R. Bage Barham Downs I. 230, I took no concern about any of them.
VIII. Various senses, nearly = make, do, perform (some action).
(See also senses 19, 37, 51 b, c.)
52. To perform, make, do (an act, action, movement, etc.): usually with some notion of undertaking or taking upon one, and carrying out or carrying on; sometimes with that of getting.
Often it forms with the object merely a periphrastic equivalent of the cognate vb.: e.g. to take a leap = to leap (once), to take a look = to look (once), to take one's departure = to depart. (See also take aim in Phrases, 64; action n. 7, journey n. 3, step n.1, turn n., walk n.)
c1380Sir Ferumbras 4029 To-morwe let ous our iorne take, Hamward aȝen to ryde. c1412Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 3400 The kyng took a laghtre, and wente his way. c1449Pecock Repr. 156 At which men mowe lawȝe and take bourde for her symplenes. 1477Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 1, I determyned me to take that voyage. 1483Caxton Cato C vj b, Thou oughtest not to stryue ne take noyse wyth them that ben ful of superfluous wordes. c1489― Sonnes of Aymon xiv. 341 Thei toke grete debate for me wyth Charlemagn wythin his pavylion. 1491Churchw. Acc. St. Dunstan's, Canterb., They took an axion ageynst the executores of Wyllyam Belser. 1556Chron. Gr. Friars (Camden) 13 Thys yere the kynge..toke his viage towarde Normandy. 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. xi. 42 Like a winged horse he [Neptune] tooke his flight. 1617Acc. Bk. W. Wray in Antiquary XXXII. 214 King James..tooke his progresse towards Scotland. 1678Bunyan Pilgr. i. 43 How many steps have I took in vain. 1693Humours Town 3 Take a last farewel-look of this overgrown City. Ibid. 6 You might take a survey of the Rarities. 1711Budgell Spect. No. 77 ⁋1 We took a turn or two more. 1719De Foe Crusoe (1840) II. xiv. 287 Without measuring the windings and turnings it takes. Ibid. xv. 315 He takes a great circuit about. 1766Goldsm. Vic. W. xxviii, My wife, my daughter and herself were taking a walk together. 1845M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 24 When Queen Brunchilde took her departure from Rouen. 1867A. J. Wilson Vashti xxiv, I came to-day to beg you to take a trip somewhere, by sea or land. 1889Mrs. E. Kennard Landing Prize III. viii. 148 The salmon took a great leap. 1893J. Ashby-Sterry Naughty Girl vii, I'll just take a turn down to the club and see what's going on.
†b. to take beginning: to begin, start, commence. (See also 31.) Obs. [= ON. taka upphaf, to begin.]
a1300Cursor M. 12887 Þe ald testament hir-wit nu slakes, And sua þe neu bigining takes. 1557–75Diurnal Occurr. (Bann. Club) 61 Vpoun the first day of August, the Parliament tuke begyning. 1601Dolman La Primaud. Fr. Acad. (1618) III. 641 We must all beleeue..that time tooke beginning with the world.
c. to take five (or take ten): to have a five- (or ten-) minute break. Also loosely, to relax. U.S. colloq.
1929Amer. Speech V. 147 If the miner craves a rest while on the job, he takes five, a long enough period for a smoke. 1943Yank 7 May 3 Six members of a reconnaissance group ‘take 10’ at a railroad station. 1961G. T. Simon Feeling of Jazz 30 Man, I'm glad they said to take five, because this next arrangement looks rough. 1973W. Sheed People will always be Kind vi. 60 ‘Could you go a little faster, Fatman?’.. It was difficult making jokes... ‘O.K. Fatstuff, take five, I was only kidding.’
d. to take a fall (U.S.): (a) slang, to be arrested or convicted of a crime (cf. fall v. 23 f, g); (b) colloq., to suffer a fall; similarly to take a spill; also fig., to fall for (cf. fall v. 60).
1942Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §353/7 Fall in love{ddd}take a fall. Ibid. §500/6 Be arrested{ddd}take or have a fall. 1953W. Burroughs Junkie iii. 34 Jack had taken a fall on a safe job and was in the Bronx County jail awaiting trial. 1958S. J. Perelman Most of S. J. Perelman 35, I took a rather nasty fall over a wastebasket. 1962D. Lessing Golden Notebk. iv. 474 Molly rang late—says that Jane Bond has ‘taken a fall over’ Mr Green. 1968Globe & Mail (Toronto) 15 Jan. 29/6 Even the best skier can take a spill. 1973Times 9 Feb. 12/2 Michael Fish took a couple of falls.
53. to take counsel († take advice, † take advisement): to get advice, to consult, deliberate; † to devise; † to decide: see advice 4, advisement 3, counsel 1.
a1300Cursor M. 4790 Þar of es god we ta consail. c1386Chaucer Melib. ⁋760 Thanne Dame Prudence..delibered and took auys in hir self. 1480Caxton Chron. Eng. cxcvii. 173 The barons token counceyll bytwene hem. 1483― G. de la Tour D iv b, Withoute takyng ony counceylle of her husbond. 1537T. Cumptun in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. II. 92 After that they had communiked together and taken avisement. 1609Bible (Douay) Judg. xx. 32 Who..tooke advise to draw them away from the citie. 1879M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. xxxvi. 359 She took counsel with witches and magicians.
†b. intr. ? ellipt. for take advisement. Obs.
c1400Emare 799 Grete lordes toke hem be-twene, That þey wolde exyle þe quene.
†54. trans. To arrange, fix, agree upon, conclude (a truce, peace, league, etc.). [Cf. OF. prendre treve, 13th c.] Obs.
1375Barbour Bruce xiv. 96 Quhill trewis at the last tuk thai. c1400Laud Troy-Bk. 8474 It was seyde to the Emperoure..How ffight was taken hem be-twene. c1400Destr. Troy 9072 The Troiens to the tenttes tristy men send, For a tru to be tan. c1470[see peace n. 1 b]. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xxxiii. 48 So yt they wolde take no peace, nor truse, with y⊇ kyng of Englande. c1600Shakes. Sonn. xlvii. 1 Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is tooke. 1656S. Holland Zara (1719) 135 Having taken a Truce with his Enemy, he would not be the first should break it.
55. to take adieu, take farewell: to bid farewell, say good-bye, take one's leave. Const. of. Cf. to take leave: see leave n.1 2. So † to take good night (obs.).
c1560Rolland Seven Sages Prol. ii, I..tuke gude nicht, and said gude schirs adew. 1617J. Taylor (Water-P.) Trav. (1872) 2 We all went to the Christopher where we took a Bacchanalian farewell one of another. 1665Pepys Diary 28 Aug., I think to take adieu to-day of the London Streets. 1700Dryden Cock & Fox 256 Last he drew A piteous sigh, and took a long adieu. 1821Scott Kenilw. vii, Thus saying, he at length took farewell. 1840Thirlwall Greece VII. 195 [He] besought Demosthenes to forgive his temporary estrangement,..and took a last farewell of him.
56. To lay hold of, raise, put forth, make (an objection, an exception, a distinction, etc.). See also exception n. 7 c, objection 1 b.
1542–[see exception n. 7 c]. 1830Herschel Nat. Phil. 7 The objection which has been taken. 1830Monk Life R. Bentley (1833) I. 303 Instead of doing so, they take a dilemma, and intimate a belief that either by the old statutes, or by the 40th of Elizabeth's, the Master is subject to the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Ely. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. vii. II. 265 Between punishments and disabilities a distinction was taken. Ibid. x. 556 The distinction which they took was..ingenious. 1864Bp. Wilberforce Sp. Missions (1874) 46, I know well the objections men can take.
IX. Senses denoting movement or removal (lead, convey, remove, deliver, etc.), and related senses.
* To convey, carry, conduct, remove.
57. a. To carry, convey; to cause (a person or animal) to go with one, to conduct, lead, escort. Also said of a vehicle, etc.: To convey, carry (a person) to some place. Also of a road, way, etc.: = lead v.1 6; so of a journey, etc. Also with over, to conduct through or show around (a building, garden, etc.).
c1200Ormin 8355 Josæp, ris upp & tacc þe child, & tacc þe childess moderr. a1300Cursor M. 5117 Tas Ruben þan wit yow. Ibid. 23814 Es þar na wai..Cun tak us better. a1400–50Alexander 4886 Syne tas he with him titly his twelue tried prince[s]. 1503in Trans. Roy. Hist. Soc. (1902) 153 Walter Robardes tooke this Alexr apart. 1590Shakes. Com. Err. iv. i. 36 Take the stranger to my house. 1665Manley Grotius' Low C. Warres 832 Taking through the marshy Fields of Cazant Twelve hundred Walloons and Irish with him. 1719De Foe Crusoe (1840) I. xiv. 246, I took my man Friday with me. c1810W. Hickey Mem. (1918) II. xix. 251 She..took me over the house, which was a complete a one as ever I saw. 1837C. Fox Jrnl. 15 May in Mem. Old Friends (1882) iii. 16 Took them all over the Grove Hill gardens. 1848Thackeray Van. Fair xlviii, Being obliged to take four of us in his carriage to wait upon His Majesty. 1878Scribner's Mag. XV. 897/1 The second stage of the journey takes the traveler through Egypt. 1880Trollope Duke's Children III. xix. 215, I want to take her all over the house. 1908Betw. Trent & Ancholme 55 A yard or two further takes us to the N.E. corner. a1910Mod. Will this road take me to Abingdon? 1911Rep. Labour & Social Conditions in Germany (Tariff Reform League) III. 166 [He] was able yesterday to take a small deputation..over the ‘Triumph’ works.
b. To carry or bear (a thing) with one; to carry to some place or person. In quot. 1883, to draw (something) through a liquid.
1390Gower Conf. III. 217 [Eche] hath A pot of Erthe, in which he tath A lyht brennende in a kressette. a1400Sir Perc. 478 He..Tuke with hym his schorte spere. c1470Henry Wallace ii. 85 Thow Scot, to quhom takis thow this thing? 1590Shakes. Com. Err. iv. i. 37 And with you take the Chaine. 1605― Macb. v. iii. 19 Take thy face hence. 1768J. Byron Narr. Patagonia (ed. 2) 221 They will take from the ground a glove or handkerchief. 1858Ramsay Scot. Life & Char. v. (1870) 118 She went out and did not take the door with her [i.e. shut it after her]. 1883R. Haldane Workshop Receipts Ser. ii. 227/1 Take [the yarn] through dilute sulphuric acid, and wash very well.
c. fig. To induce (a person) to go; to be the cause of his going. (Cf. bring v. 1 c.)
1848Thackeray Van. Fair lxvii, ‘Particular business’, she said, took her to Bruges. 1856J. H. Newman Callista (1890) 114 What takes you into the city this morning? 1883P. Greg Sanguelac II. xi. 223 What took you out so late? Mod. The business that took me to London.
d. In colloq. phr. you can't take it with you, in allusion to the impossibility of benefiting from earthly wealth after death.
1841Marryat Masterman Ready II. ii. 22 He was very fond of money; but that they said was all the better, as he could not take it away with him when he died. 1923G. Arthur Let. 16 Sept. in Further Lett. Man of no Importance (1932) 153 Mr. Gladstone, when a dead millionaire was held up for his admiration because he had left large sums for charities, said, ‘Thank him for nothing; he was obliged to leave it somewhere as he couldn't take it with him.’ 1937Kaufman & Hart (title) You can't take it with you. 1952A. Christie Mrs. McGinty's Dead vii. 48 ‘They inherited a little money when Mrs. McGinty died.’.. ‘Well, that's natural enough... You can't take it with you.’ 1977J. Porter Who the Heck is Sylvia? x. 87 You're not short of the odd penny... And you can't take it with you, can you?
58. With from, off (hence sometimes simply): To carry away, to remove; to extract; to deprive or rid a person or thing of (with various shades of connotation): = take away, 80 a, take off, 85 a, take out, 87 a: see also take out of, 88.
to take off one's feet: to carry off one's feet by force, as a wind or wave; also fig. So to take off one's balance, etc.
a1272Luue Ron 64 in O.E. Misc. 95 Al deþ hit wile from him take. a1300E.E. Psalter i. 5 Als duste þat winde þerthe tas fra. a1400Cursor M. 29546 (Cott. Galba) It takes [Cott. steres] his cristendom him fra. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon 19 Saying, that they should take the head from the body of hym. 1535Coverdale Ps. l[i]. 11 Take not thy holy sprete fro me. 1567Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 147 He fra me my Sin hes tane. 1610Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 73 He..tooke from the towne the benefit of their haven. 1655Sir E. Nicholas in N. Papers (Camden) II. 235 His decree is annulled and taken of y⊇ file. 1678Butler Hud. iii. iii. 693 The Law severely contrabands Our taking business off Mens hands. 1818Scott Hrt. Midl. xv, The doing so would..take the case from under the statute. 1825J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 560 A plane, which takes a thin shaving off the surface of the wood. 1867Trollope Chron. Barset i, John did take his eyes off his book. Mod. The sea was so rough when I was bathing that the waves took me off my feet.
b. to take the life of: to deprive of life, to kill. Also, to take one's (own) life: to kill oneself, commit suicide.
[13..Cursor M. 25831 His lijf þan sal be fra him tane. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xii. 306, I praye you..that yourselfe wyl take the liff fro me, and cut of my hede.] 1591Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iii. i. 22 Thou layd'st a Trap to take my Life. 1766Goldsm. Vic. W. xxx, You imagine, perhaps, that a contempt for your own life gives you a right to take that of another. 1847Tennyson Princ. v. 397 Take not his life: he risk'd it for my own. 1920D. H. Lawrence Women in Love xv. 211 It was not a question of taking one's life—she would never kill herself. 1965Amer. Speech XL. 301 This person may indeed take his own life. 1981Daily Tel. 18 June 19/2 A note left by them made it clear that they wanted to take their own lives and also wished to be buried in the same grave.
c. To remove by death. Also euphem. in pass., to die.
1552Bk. Com. Prayer, Burial of Dead, Forasmuche as it hath pleased almightie God of his great mercie to take vnto hym selfe the soule of our dere brother here departed, we therefore commit [etc.]. 1593Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, i. iv. 167 Hard-hearted Clifford, take me from the World. 1616S. Mountagu in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 247 God hath taken to himself my brother Walter Mountagu. 1632Heywood 1st Pt. Iron Age v. i. Wks. 1874 III. 338 Since the Fates Haue tane him from vs. 1749Gray Let. 7 Nov. (1900) I. 204 He who has preserved her to you so many years..has taken her from us to Himself. 1809J. Porter Scottish Chiefs xxxiv. 257 If all whom I love be lost to me here, take me then to thyself, and let my freed spirit fly to thy embraces in heaven! 1864Tennyson North. Farmer iii, ‘The amoighty's a taäkin o' you to 'issén, my friend’, a said. 1920E. O'Neill Beyond Horizon ii. i. 69 It was God's will that he should be taken. 1977[see pass v. 65 c].
d. To subtract, deduct.
1611Shakes. Cymb. ii. i. 60 This her Sonne, Cannot take two from twenty for his heart, And leaue eighteene. 1806Hutton Course Math. (1827) I. 8, 6 - 2, denotes that 2 is to be taken from 6. 1876E. Jenkins Blot Queen's Head 28 Every one took 50 per cent. off Bobby's expletives. 1890Sat. Rev. 16 Aug. 192/1 Twopence in the pound was taken off the tea-duty.
e. absol. with from: To detract from, lessen, diminish. Cf. 80 c, 85 k.
1625Massinger New Way iv. i, [Ne'er] sullied with one taint or spot That may take from your innocence and candour. a1700Dryden (J.), It takes not from you, that you were born with principles of generosity. 1891Temple Bar Mag. Oct. 254 It takes greatly from the pleasure.
f. intr. for pass. (with adv. or advb. phr.). To be capable of being, or adapted to be, taken off, out, to pieces, etc.; to be removable, detachable, etc.
So, by extension, to take in and out = to be capable of being put in and taken out; so to take on and off.
1669Sturmy Mariner's Mag. ii. ii. 53 A Brass pair of Compasses..and four Steel Points to take in and out. 1703Moxon Mech. Exerc. 227 The Stop-screw, to take out when the Hollow Axis moves in the Moving-Coller. 1881Greener Gun 78 Guns..so constructed as to take to pieces and stow away in a small compass. 1892St. James' Gaz. 8 Feb. 6/2 Yours [i.e. hair] takes off at night.
59. in various fig. senses.
a. To carry, draw, or lead in thought, etc.; with from, off, to distract.
1611Shakes. Wint. T. iv. iv. 356 Your heart is full of something, that do's take Your minde from feasting. 1670Cotton Espernon ii. v. 238 An accident fell out that soon took the Duke off all thoughts of that Solemnity. 1742Lond. & Country Brew. i. (ed. 4) 41 These deluded People are taken into an Approbation of indeed an Ignis fatuus. 1890Murray's Mag. VII. 65 Love..took her out of herself, and soothed her sorrows.
†b. to take (a person) with one: to speak so that (he) can ‘follow’ or apprehend one's meaning; to enable (him) to understand one; to be explicit. (Usu. in imp.) Obs.
1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. v. 142 Soft, take me with you, take me with you, wife. 1695Congreve Love for L. v. ii, Ay, but pray take me along with you, sir.
†c. to take (a thing) with one: to bear in mind, keep in remembrance, take note of. Obs.
1599Massinger, etc. Old Law ii. ii, Oh! you are too hot, sir; Pray cool yourself, and take September with you. 1610Holland Camden's Brit. 715 Yet take here with you, that which William Newbrigensis..writeth. 1746Chesterfield Lett. (1792) I. 295 Take this along with you that the worst authors are always most partial to their own works. 1828Scott F.M. Perth v, Take it with you that I will never listen to them.
†d. To render, translate. Obs. rare.
c1430Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 25 A clerk itt in to latyn tooke Att hertford out of a booke.
e. To bring or convey to a higher or lower degree; to raise or lower; to advance or put back. See also take down, 82; peg n.1 3.
1589–[see peg n.1 3]. 1890Field 24 May 750/3 By steady play the score was taken to 18.
** To deliver, give, commit, give up.
†60. trans. To deliver, hand over; to give; to give in charge, commit, entrust. (= betake 1, 1 b, 2.) Const. to or dative. Obs.[In Layamon, in the early version rarely (2 instances), but in the later very commonly (22 instances), bitake is used as equivalent to bitæche, biteche (beteach, to deliver); in 19 cases biteche of the earlier text becomes bitake in the later. In 4 cases the later version has in the same sense the simple take; this became from 1300 to 1530 quite established, and continued in some writers to c 1560. This use was not in Norse, and is absent from northern ME. For the history see betake v.] c1275Lay. 54 He..wrot..And þane hilke boc tock us to bisne. Ibid. 3361 And takeþ [c 1205 bitachet] hit his child. Ibid. 22378 And ich wolle..To hostage take þe mine sone [c 1205 biteche þe mine þreo sunen]. c1290S. Eng. Leg. I. 99/254 To lhesu crist ich habbe al-so al min heorte i-take. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2027 Some sede þat him betere were take is neueu conan Þe kinedom of þis lond. 1340Ayenb. 171 Þe castel of his herte and of his bodye þet god him heþ ytake to loki. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 575 Owre lorde wrote it hym-selue In stone... And toke it moyses to teche men til Messye com. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 323 Moyses..took his wif [uxori tradidit] þe ryng of forȝetnesse. c1400Prymer (1894) 78 We biseche þee þat þe soule of þi seruaunt..be not take in-to þe hondis of oure enemy. c1425Cursor M. 15411 (Trin.) In to ȝoure hondes I shal him take [earlier MSS. teche]. 1436Let. in Burton & Raine Hemingbrough 393, I writte no more..at this tyme, so I tak ȝow to þe Holy Trinite. c1440Promp. Parv. 485/2 Takyn, or delyueryn a thynge to a-nother, trado. c1440Gesta Rom. xlvi. 183 (Add. MS.) Take me the Ryng, and I shalle kepe it as my lyf. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lxvi. 226 Al that ye take me to kepe shalbe sauely kept to your behoue. 1533More Answ. Poysoned Bk. Wks. 1063/1 When he tooke them the bread and bode them eate it. a1553Udall Royster D. i. v. (Arb.) 31 Who tooke thee thys letter?
†61. refl.
a. To commit or devote oneself (to God, to Christ, etc.); also, to commit or betake oneself to one's legs, heels, weapons, or other means of protection or safety. Obs. exc. as in b.
c1200Ormin 356 Aȝȝ fra þatt Adam Godd forrlet & toc himm to þe deofell. c1220Bestiary 98 in O.E. Misc. 4 He..forsaket ðore satanas,..Takeð him to ihesu crist. a1300Cursor M. 23046 Þat al þis werld welth for-sok, And anerli to godd þam tok. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 938, I will forsaik Mahoun, and tak me to his micht. 1530Palsgr. 749/1, I take me to my legges, I flye a waye. 1548[see heel n.1 20]. 1606G. W[oodcocke] Hist. Ivstine viii. 38 Which people perceiuing them selues entrapped..fearefully tooke them to their weapons. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 19 The Gyants..took them to their heels and so were overcome.
b. refl. To devote or give oneself up; to betake or apply oneself to (some pursuit, action, or object).
a1300Cursor M. 4032 Þir breþer tuain þam tok to red To dele þair landes þam bi-tuixs. c1425Ibid. 13429 (Trin.) Of wif forsoke he hondbonde And toke [earlier MSS. turned] him to þe better honde. c1440Alphabet of Tales 350 He lefte all his gude and tuke hym to pouertie. 1530Palsgr. 749/1, I take me to relygyon, or any other Kynde of Lyvynge wherein I must contynue. 1570T. Wilson tr. Demosthenes' Olynth. Epist. *j b, Such are contented..to weare our Countrie cloth, and to take themselues to hard fare. 1576Gascoigne Steel Gl. (Arb.) 67 Art thou a craftsman? take thee to thine arte. 1707Curios. in Husb. & Gard. 296 One of these Leaves..took it self to walking as soon as he touch'd it. 1888Sophie Veitch Dean's Daughter I. viii. 155, I..took myself to the Chase. 1890E. L. Arnold Phra v, She would not eat and would not speak, and at last took her to crying.
c. intr. with into: To give oneself up to: = take to, 74 e. rare.
1756J. Clubbe Misc. Tracts (1770) I. 105 Men had better read but few books at large, than take into this short and fallacious method of attaining..imperfect knowledge. 1765Ibid. II. 10 Some men taking into life of pleasure, others into an easy chair of sleep and indolence. 1864Carlyle Fredk. Gt. xv. vi. (1872) VI. 25 Taking deeply into tobacco.
*** To set oneself, begin, to apply oneself.
62. intr. with inf. To set oneself, to begin (to do something). [After ON. taka at, e.g. taka at ganga to begin to go.] Obs.
1154O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1135, Dauid king of Scotland toc to uerrien him. c1200Ormin 223 [Zacariȝe] toc to becnenn till þe follc. Ibid. 4772 Swa..þatt hiss bodiȝ toc To rotenn bufenn eorþe. Ibid. 8332 Off þa fowwre riche menn Þatt tokenn þa to rixlenn. c1320Sir Tristr. 1000 Now haþ tristrem y-tan Oȝain moraunt to fiȝt.
b. In later use, To apply oneself to a habitual action (cf. 61 b and 74 e).
1677A. Yarranton Eng. Improv. 157 Since the Welsh took to break up their Mountains, and sow them with Corn, they have Corn sufficient for themselves. 1839Times 5 Oct., He took to cultivate his genius by reading political economy. 1856Freeman in W. R. W. Stephens Life (1895) I. iv. 232, I have taken to write a little in a penny paper called the Star. 1890Blackw. Mag. CXLVII. 262/2 Their taking to smoke tobacco. 1891G. Meredith One of our Conq. III. xi. 233 She has taken to like him.
†c. refl. in same senses. Obs. rare.
1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon i. 54 The duke Beues toke hym selfe for to wepe strongly. 1605Verstegan Dec. Intell. vi. (1628) 165 They tooke themselues first to rob vpon the sea coastes. a1677Barrow Serm. Wks. 1716 II. 63 A state..which they took themselves peculiarly to enjoy.
**** To take one's course, to go.
63. intr. To make one's way, go, proceed; = nim v. 2, fang v. 7. In early use chiefly with to; in later use with any prep. or adv. of direction: usually implying prompt action, cf. ‘start’, ‘strike’.
See also take to, 74 b; take away, 80 d, take back, 81 e, take in, 84 p, take off, 85 n.
c1250Gen. & Ex. 1751 He toc, and wente, and folwede on. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 13566 So harde þe parties to-gidere tok. 13..St. Erkenwolde 57 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 267 Quen tithynges tokene to þe tone [= town]. 13..Cast. Love 1686 In good tyme the[i] were i-bore, That to that feste mowe takyn [F. peuent venir]. a1400Gosp. Nicod. 1122 (Cott. Galba) On þe morn furth gan þai pas, to þaire iorne þai ta. c1435Torr. Portugal 598 A lytyl whyll before the day, He toke into a Ryde Wey. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon ix. 224 Whan they were all mounted, they toke on theyr way. 1606G. W[oodcocke] Hist. Ivstine iii. 19 They tooke on their way to seeke a new place of habitation. 1615G. Sandys Trav. 193 Turning backe, we tooke vp the said streete to the West. 1622Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. ii. 282 They tooke downe through a groue of Alder trees. c1645Tullie Siege of Carlisle (1840) 5 Most of the fugatives took streight for Carlisle. 1707Freind Peterborow's Cond. Sp. 221 My Lord took along the edge of the Hills. 1801tr. Gabrielli's Myst. Husb. III. 74, I took across some fields for the nearest way. 1863W. C. Baldwin Afr. Hunting vi. 212 He [the elephant] gave chase, and I took up the hill. 1892Mrs. E. Stewart in A. E. Lee Hist. Columbus, Ohio I. 264 A gang of wolves took after her.
b. intr. Of a road, a river, etc.: To proceed, go, run, strike off (in some direction). Obs. or dial.
1610Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 731 Where it [the high road] taketh Northward, it leadeth by Caldwell and Aldburgh. 1865Carlyle Fredk. Gt. xviii. ii. (1872) VII. 110 [The river] Moldau..takes straight to northward again. 1894Crockett Raiders 175 At this point the drove-road took over the Folds Hill.
c. refl. In same sense as a; also = to betake oneself, repair, resort to. See also take off, 85 c.
1470–85Malory Arthur i. viii. 45 He took hym to a strong towre with v c good men with hym. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xvi. 385 After all thyse wordes, they toke theym selfe on their waye. 1822Byron Werner i. i. 600 He will take himself to bed. 1865Trollope Belton Est. xxx, I am to pack up, bag and baggage, and take myself elsewhere.
X. In idiomatic phrases with special obj.
64. take aim. To direct a missile at something with intention to strike it; to aim.
1590[see aim n. 3]. 1697Dryden æneid x. 479 The Sabine Clausus came, And, from afar, at Dryops took his aim. 1719De Foe Crusoe (1840) II. iv. 92 He took a sure aim. 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 546/1 He was in the act of taking aim with a carbine.
65. take alarm. To accept and act upon a warning of danger; hence, to become alarmed or roused to a sense of danger.
1624,1772[see alarm n. 8]. 1689T. R. View Govt. Europe 38 The people took the Alarm, and clamour'd for a Parliament. 1825New Monthly Mag. XIII. 398 His amour propre takes the alarm. 1893Nat. Observer 7 Oct. 535/2 The pirate took the alarm in time.
66. take charge. To assume the care or custody of; to make oneself responsible.
1389[see charge n. 13]. 1495Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 22 §1 A maister Ship Carpenter taking the charge of the werke. 1613Shakes. Hen. VIII, i. iv. 20 Place you that side, Ile take the charge of this. 1848Thackeray Van. Fair xli, The Baronet promised to take charge of the lad at school.
†67. take day. To appoint or fix a day for the transaction of some business; to make an appointment; to put off to another day. Also fig.
a1400Octouian 1499 They..toke day at the monthys ende Of playn batayle. c1477Caxton Jason 123 She accorded to her this request and toke daye for to do hit. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xxxii. 46 Then they toke day to come agayn a thre wekes after the Feast of saynt John. 1565Stapleton tr. Bede's Hist. Ch. Eng. 171 To make quick confession of their sinfull actes and not to take dayes with God. 1642Fuller Holy & Prof. St. ii. xix.* 126 He had rather disburse his life at the present, then to take day, to fall into the hands of such remorslesse creditours.
68. take fire.
a. lit. To become kindled or ignited; to begin to burn, to kindle, ignite: = catch fire (catch v. 44).
1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 263 b, At the last they take fyre & brenne. 1590Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons 21 Through the moystnes of the weather..the powder will take no fire. 1669Sturmy Mariner's Mag. v. 89 Dip therein one end of your short Pieces, least they take Fire at both ends together. 1771Smollett Humph. Cl. 4 July, The soot took fire. 1885Cent. Mag. XXIX. 874/1 These..chimneys..often took fire.
b. fig. To become ‘inflamed’ with some emotion or the like; to become excited, esp. with anger; to become enraged, to ‘fire up’.
1607G. Wilkins Mis. Inforced Marr. i. in Hazl. Dodsley IX. 473 On which tinder he soon takes fire, and swears you are the man. 1608Merry Devil of Edmonton ibid. X. 239 How this jest takes fire. 1761Hume Hist. Eng. III. liv. 171 The Commons took fire, and voted it a breach of privilege. 1844Thirlwall Greece VIII. lxii. 177 Cleomenes took fire at the affront. 1890Temple Bar Mag. June 17 Lithgow's soul took fire with sympathy.
69. take hold.
a. To get something by one's own act into one's (physical) hold; to grasp, seize: = catch hold (catch v. 45), lay hold (lay v. 22). Const. of; on, upon (arch.). Also said of things.
1530Palsgr. 748/2, I take holde apon one, jempoygne. 1611Vestry Bks. (Surtees) 161 To picke forth the ould lyme and morter that the new might better take hold. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 19 [The Indian] Figge-tree..whose branches..doe bend themselves downewards to the earth, where they take holde, and with new rooting multiply. 1754J. Shebbeare Matrimony (1766) II. 193 [She] fell on her Knees..taking hold on the Skirt of his Coat. 1816[see hold n.1 2].
b. fig. To get a person or thing into its (or one's) ‘hold’ or power; usually with of (on, upon arch.); of a feeling, a disease, etc.: to seize and affect forcibly and more or less permanently; of fire, to ‘lay hold’ of (something), begin to burn. Also, to seize, avail oneself of (an opportunity).
1577Harrison England ii. vi. (1877) i. 164 A thing latelie sproong vp, when pampering of the bellie began to take hold. 1605Shakes. Lear iv. vi. 238 Hence, Least that th' infection of his fortune take Like hold on thee. 1708J. C. Compl. Collier (1845) 23 Another dangerous sort of bad Air, but of a fiery Nature like Lightning,..if it takes hold of the Candle. 1725N. Robinson Th. Physick 292 When the Disease has taken any Hold of the Patient. 1889M. Gray Reproach Annesley iii. vi, A sense of her bitter bereaval took hold of her.
c. (with of) To take possession and management of, take under one's control. ? U.S.
1877Raymond Statist. Mines & Mining 222 They..know that a company of moneyed men taking hold of their camp will have to spend a considerable amount of money before they can expect to recoup their investment. 1897Kipling Capt. Cour. ix, No, I only capt—took hold of the ‘Blue M.’ freighters—Morgan and M'Quade's old line—this summer.
†d. To attach itself, take root. Obs. rare—1.
a1300Cursor M. 9350 It tok neuer in þer hertes hald. 13..Ibid. 10009 (Gött.) Þat er four vertus principalys,..All oþer vertus of þaim tas [Cott. has] hald.
e. To apply oneself to action; to set to; to take an active part. dial. and U.S.
1868Atkinson Cleveland Gloss., Tak' hold, to undertake; an office, or specified performance or duty. 1870L. M. Alcott Old-fashioned Girl xi, I'm in despair, and shall have to take hold myself, I'm afraid. 1888Bryce Amer. Commw. III. iv. lxxxvi. 153 To believe that things will come out right whether he ‘takes hold’ himself or not.
70. take horse.
a. To mount a horse; to get on horseback (esp. for a journey): see sense 24 c.
[c1450Brut (E.E.T.S.) 450 On þe morow he toke hys hors and rode to Wyndysore vn-to our Kyng. c1475Harl. Contin. Higden (Rolls) VIII. 544 He toke his hors with a pryvy meyney. a1533Ld. Berners Huon vii. 18 After masse [they] toke theyr horsses. ]1675Brooks Gold. Key Wks. 1867 V. 10 Bajazet,..Tamerlane took prisoner,..and used him for a footstool when he took horse. 1743Wesley Jrnl. (1749) 9 Just as I was taking horse, he return'd. 1889Univ. Rev. Oct. 263 The princes..took horse and fled.
b. Mining. (See quot.) local.
1855J. R. Leifchild Cornwall Mines 88 When a lode divides into branches, the miners say it has taken horse.
c. Of a mare: see sense 39 b, and horse n. 1 c.
1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. (1586) 118 The Mare will not take the Horse. 1688Lond. Gaz. No. 2378/4 A brown bay Filly,..being locked from taking Horse.
71. take possession.
a. To get something by one's own act into one's possession; to enter into possession. With of: to take into one's possession, make oneself possessor of, take for one's own, appropriate: see possession n. 1 c.
1535Coverdale 1 Kings xxi. 15 Vp, and take possession of the vynyarde of Naboth the Iesraelite. 1591Shakes. Two Gent. v. iv. 130 Take but possession of her, with a Touch. a1641Bp. R. Montagu Acts & Mon. i. (1642) 21 They entred upon, and took possession of the Land of Promise. 17..Rem. Reign Will. III in Harl. Misc. (1809) III. 359 The troops..would, in all likelihood, have took possession of White-hall. 1852Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xxxiv, Then he came, the cursed wretch! he came to take possession.
b. fig. (with of) To begin to ‘possess’, dominate, or actuate: cf. possession n. 5, 6.
1595Shakes. John iv. i. 32 His words do take possession of my bosome. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. vi. II. 63 Another fatal delusion had taken possession of his mind.
72. In many other phrases, as to take account, acquaintance, arms, breath, the cake, one's chance, the change out of, Christendom, count, one's cross, effect, end, flight, force, head, heels, the initiative, knowledge, the law, the lead, leave, order, record, rise, root, share, stock, witness, etc., for which see the ns. (See also 94.)
XI. Intransitive uses in idiomatic combination with prepositions.
73. take after ―.
a. To follow the example of; to imitate; hence, to resemble (a parent, ancestor, predecessor, superior, etc.) in nature, character, habits, appearance, or other quality.
1553T. Wilson Rhet. (1580) 112 If the Nurse be of a noughtie nature, the childe must take thereafter. 1657Heylin Ecclesia Vind. Gen. Pref., His Followers all take after him in this particular. 1678Phillips (ed. 4) s.v. Imitatives, Patrissare, to take after the Father, or imitate his actions, humor, or fashion. 1892Gd. Words Nov. 784/2, I take after my mother's family.
†b. ? To conceive a desire for or inclination to.
1707Curios. in Husb. & Gard. 6 Men take strangely after this their first Imployment.
take against ―, take for ― (= take part against, with): see 20 b.
74. take to ―. (See also 62, 63.)
a. To undertake, take in hand; to take charge of, undertake the care of. Obs. exc. dial.[Tóc tó þe ríce in quot. 1154 is the equivalent of the earlier feng tó (þam) ríce of the Chronicle: cf. anno 488, Her Esc feng to rice; 1066 Her forðferde Eaduuard king, and Harold eorl feng to ðam rice. Cf. also 62 with inf.] 1154O.E. Chron. an. 1140 (MS. E), & te eorl of Angæu wærd ded, & his sune Henri toc to þe rice. c1230Hali Meid. 5 He wile carien for hire þat ha haueð itaken to of al þat hire biheoueð. c1375Cursor M. 5639 (Fairf.) Þis wommon bleþely toke þer-to [to þe childe; Cott. & Gött. it vnderfang] & fedde hit. c1430Freemasonry 120 That the mayster take to no prentysse, But he have good seuerans to dwelle Seven ȝer with hym. 1863Kingsley Water-Bab. v. 199 All the little children whom the good fairies take to, because their cruel mothers and fathers will not. [See Eng. Dial. Dict. s.v.]
b. To betake oneself to, have recourse to (esp. some means of progression, as in take to the boats, take to flight, take to wing, take to one's heels (heel n.1 20); also (now dial.) to some resource or means of subsistence).
(The intr. use here and in c comes close in sense to the refl. use in 61 a, 63 c, and the trans. in 24 c, 25 a.)
c1205Lay. 23688 He hit wende Þat Arður hit wolde forsaken And nawiht to þan fehte taken. c1400Melayne 1148 At þ⊇ laste þay tuke to flyinge. a1450Le Morte Arthur 1380 Madame, how may thou to us take? 1591Shakes. Two Gent. iv. i. 42 Haue you any thing to take to? Val. Nothing but my fortune. 1596Danett tr. Comines (1614) 32 The King tooke to barge and returned to Paris. 1693J. Dryden, jun. Juvenal xiv. 98 The callow Storks..soon as e'er to Wing they take, At sight those Animals for Food pursue. 1708Lond. Gaz. No. 4453/2 They took to their Oars, and got from us. 1761Hume Hist. Eng. II. xxvii. 130 They immediately took to flight. 1786tr. Beckford's Vathek (1883) 121 They all without ceremony took to their heels. 1873Holland A. Bonnic. i. 19, I should have alighted and taken to my feet.
c. To betake oneself to (a place); to repair, resort, or retire to; to take refuge in; to enter.
c1275Lay. 7976 He droh to on oþe[r] half and tock to herboreȝe. c1425Cursor M. 2832 (Trin.) No dwellyng here þat ȝe make Til ȝe þe ȝondir feld to take. 1707Freind Peterborow's Cond. Sp. 211 Take to the Mountains on the right. a1851Moir Bass Rock iii, The rabbit..Took to its hole under the hawthorn's root. 1879C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iv. ix. 110 He took to his bed and there lay almost without speaking. [Cf. 25, and bed 6 c.]
†d. To attach oneself to, become an adherent of; to direct itself to. Obs. (Also with till, unto.)
c1205Layamon 29188 Crist seolue he for-soc and to þan wursen he tohc. c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 96 Þe maistres of þe portes for gyftes tille him toke. c1425Cursor M. 17533 (Trin.) Raþer shulde þei to vs take, Þen to ihesu for oure sake. 1625Bacon Ess., Goodness (Arb.) 201 If it [goodness] issue not towards Men, it will take vnto Other Liuing Creatures.
e. To devote or apply oneself to; to adopt or take up as a practice, business, habit, or something habitual: cf. 61 b, c. See also road n. 5 b.
a1300Cursor M. 14114 O mani thing sco [Mary] tok til an, Wit-vten quam es beute nan. 1382Wyclif Gen. xxxviii. 14 The which, the clothis of widewhed don down, toke to [Vulg. assumpsit] a roket. c1430Freemasonry 462 Aȝayn to the craft they schul never take. 1610Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 692 Clothing (a trade which they tooke to). 1707J. Stevens tr. Quevedo's Com. Wks. (1709) 319 If you take to Begging, I will take to give nothing. 1834Lytton Pilgr. Rhine vi, He has since taken to drinking. 1843Fraser's Mag. XXVIII. 203 She..took to wearing caps. 1845Ford Handbk. Spain i. 199 In Madrid..the men have taken to..Parisian paletots. 1887[see drink n. 3]. 1893Scribner's Mag. Aug. 227/2 She has taken to society as a duck takes to water.
f. To apply oneself (well, kindly); to adapt oneself: leading to sense g.
c1375Cursor M. 8436 (Fairf.) Þen was þis childe sette to boke; Ful wele I wis þer-to [Cott. þar-wit] he toke. 1625Bacon Ess., Parents & Childr. (Arb.) 277 Thinking they will take best to that, which they haue most Minde to. 1766J. W. Baker in Compl. Farmer s.v. Turnip, [The bullock] took kindly to the turnips. 1820Examiner No. 637. 413/2 A tree which is late transplanted seldom takes well to the soil. 1885in Manch. Weekly Times 6 June 5/5 The new members may not take kindly to the work.
g. To take a liking to, conceive an affection for. (For absolute use: see 50 b.)
1748H. Walpole Corr. (1837) II. 239, I took to him for his resemblance to you. 1796Lamb Let. to Coleridge 3 Oct., They, as the saying is, take to her very extraordinarily. 1844Lady G. C. Fullerton Ellen Middl. (1884) 23 To use a familiar expression, we took to each other instantaneously. 1885Manch. Exam. 22 July 3/2 When first the idea was suggested, Doré did not take to it.
h. N.Z. slang. To attack, usu. with fists.
1911‘Kiwi’ On Swag iii. 9 Take to him, Bill. 1960N. Hilliard Maori Girl ii. xiv. 159 When we got home he really took to me. That was when I lost a lot of my teeth.
75. take with ―.
†a. To receive, to accept; = sense 39. [= ON. taka við to receive.] Obs.
1127O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.), Þet landfolk him wið toc. c1200Ormin 104 To ȝarrkenn follc onnȝæness Crist To takenn wiþþ hiss lare. Ibid. 1516 Hu wel he takeþþ aȝȝ wiþþ þa Þatt sekenn Godess are. a1300Cursor M. 820 For-þi yett wald he wit him tak. Ibid. 5977 Vr lauerd wil tak na wirscip wiþ Þat man him dos in cursd kyth. 1456Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 68 The barnis..will nocht tak with the doctryne of the faderis. 1538Bale God's Promises in Dodsley O. Pl. (1780) I. 9 Yet shall they not with hym take.
†b. To take up with; to have to do with. Obs.
1597Bacon Ess., Followers & Friends (Arb.) 36 It is better to take with the more passable, then with the more able.
c. To be pleased with, put up with. ? dial. Cf. 50 b; also take up with 93 z (c).
1632Rutherford Lett. (1862) I. 97 The silly stranger, in an uncouth country, must take with a smoky inn and coarse cheer. 1638R. Brathwait Barnabees Jrnl. ii. (1818) 59 Thence to Ridgelay, where a black-smith, Liquor being all hee'd take with, Boused with me. 1825Jamieson s.v. Tak with, ‘How does the laddie like the wark?’ ‘Indeed..he taks unco ill wi't’. 1844Stephens Bk. Farm II. 609 In a little time she [a ewe] will take with both [twin lambs].
†d. To take part with, agree with. Cf. 20 b.
1654J. Bramhall in Ussher's Lett. (1686) 612 Those of the King's Party asking some why they took with the Parliament's side. 1828Scott F.M. Perth xxix, I would MacGillie Chattachan would take [later edd. agree] with me..instead of wasting our best blood against each other.
†e. To admit, acknowledge, own. Obs.
a1653Binning Serm. (1845) 607 Few of you will take with this, that ye seek to be justified by your own works. 1786A. Gib Sacr. Contempl. I. vii. i. 157 A person is therefore brought to see and take with this sin, only when his conviction issues in conversion.
f. To contract or become affected by; to catch (fire), absorb (water): = 44 b, c (cf. also d). dial.
1822Galt Steam-boat xvi. 347 The kill took low, and the mill likewise took wi't,..and nothing was left but the bare wa's. 1847Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VIII. ii. 380 When it [the flax] begins to ferment, or ‘take with the water’, the latter becomes turbid and discoloured.
XII. In combination with adverbs, forming the equivalents of compound verbs, chiefly transitive.
76. take aback trans.: see aback adv. 3 (lit. and fig.).
1748Anson's Voy. ii. vii. 215 We were obliged to ply on and off..and were frequently taken aback. 1796in Nicolas Disp. Nelson (1846) VII. p. xxxix, At 1/4 past 8 taken flat aback with a strong wind and a high sea from the N.E.b.E. 1829Marryat Frank Mildmay I. ix. 266, I was so taken aback with the sudden appearance and address of this beautiful vision, that I knew not what to say. 1844J. T. J. Hewlett Parsons & W. liii, I never saw a man more ‘taken aback’ as the sailors say. 1889J. K. Jerome Three Men in Boat xvii, Blest if it didn't quite take me aback.
77. take about. trans. To conduct on a round of sight-seeing or on excursions, etc.
1823P. Panam Mem. Young Greek Lady 117 If you wish for any thing speak to him; he will take you about everywhere. 1894E. Fawcett New Nero Proem 8 He..took him about for almost an hour, showing him a good many places. 1903A. W. Patterson Schumann 113 He seems to have taken the Laidlaw ladies about a good deal.
78. take again.
a. trans. To resume: see simple senses and again adv.
†b. To withdraw, recall: = take back, 81 b: cf. again adv. 3. Obs.
1474Caxton Chesse iii. i. (1883) 78 He began to take agayn his vertuous werkis and requyred pardoun and so retourned to god agayn. 1728Ramsay Bob of Dunblane ii, Lest I grow fickle, And take my word and offer again.
79. take apart. trans.
a. To dismantle or take to pieces; also fig., to search thoroughly; to demolish or wreck.
1936C. Sandburg People, Yes 60 Let's take it apart to see how it ticks. 1958M. Allingham Hide my Eyes xv. 150, I am going to take this shed apart if it costs me my ticket. 1968‘E. Peters’ Grass Widow's Tale xi. 140 It has to be somewhere here. Stands to sense. Go take that little front room apart, Skinner. 1969Oz Apr. 25/1 There will be a lobby of Parliament which far from pleading with MPs will probably take Whitehall apart. 1974D. Seaman Bomb that could Lip-Read xxiv. 243 There is going to be one God-awful search for the man... They will take this hamlet apart. 1978M. Puzo Fools Die xv. 161 The new kids were wilder and started taking everything apart.
b. To thrash or beat soundly; also fig., to attack with argument or criticism.
1942N. Balchin Darkness falls from Air v. 94 Supposing I went round and took him apart? 1963Listener 21 Feb. 350/3 The Labour Party's new leader was taken apart with the sort of cheerful and dedicated venom hitherto reserved for Tory Cabinet ministers. 1969‘J. Ashford’ Prisoner at Bar xii. 117 And don't get funny with Bladen..or he'll take you apart at the seams. 1971S. E. Morison European Discovery Amer.: Northern Voy. vii. 242 Manuel C. Baptista de Lima..has politely taken me apart and argued for the 1492 date. 1976Birmingham Post 16 Dec. 12/2 League leaders Liverpool were taken apart by the speed, skill and determination of the entire Villa side.
80. take away.
a. trans. To remove, withdraw, abstract; to remove by death; to subtract: see sense 58 and away adv. Also = put away s.v. put v.1 38 f (b) (U.S.).
a1300Cursor M. 297 If þou ta þe light awai. 1388Wyclif Ps. I. 13 [li. 11] Take thou not awei fro me thin hooli spirit. 1415Sir T. Grey in 43 Dep. Kpr. Rep. 583 A sefenneghte after that Murdok of Fyche was take away. 1477Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 75 To cut the vynes & take awey the euil branches therof. 1509Hawes Past. Pleas. xliv. (Percy Soc.) 215 Do not I, Tyme, take his lyfe away? 1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. iv. xxxiii. 156 To take away or mittigate some of [these laws]. c1600Timon iii. i, Yee theeues, restore what yee have tane away! 1736T. Lediard Life Marlborough I. 131 It pleased God to take away His Majesty. 1886A. Sergeant No Saint ix, It took away his appetite. 1890Jrnl. Educ. 1 June 341/1 Take away 4 cows from 17 cows. 1919E. O'Neill Where Cross is Made in Moon of Caribbees (1923) 16 They say for his own good he must be taken away.
b. absol. To clear the table after a meal.
c1450Bk. Curtasye 820 in Babees Bk. 326 Whenne þay haue wasshen and grace is sayde, Away he takes at a brayde. 1768Sterne Sent. Journ. (1775) II. 118 Mon Dieu! said Le Fleur,—and took away. 1809Malkin Gil Blas xi. v. (Rtldg.) 402 The servants..had taken away and left us to ourselves. 1872S. Butler Erewhon viii. 64 She returned in about an hour to take away.
c. absol. To detract from: = 58 e, 85 k.
1875Freeman Venice (1881) 257 The slight touch of Renaissance in some of the capitals..in no sort takes away from the general purity of the style. 1889Stevenson Master of B. iv, This takes away from the merit of your generosity.
d. intr. To go away, make off: see 63.
1838C. Waterton Ess. Nat. Hist. p. xxv, After eluding him in cover for nearly half an hour, being hard pressed, I took away down a hedgerow. 1850R. G. Cumming Hunter's Life S. Afr. (1902) 125/1 They set the dogs after him, when he took away up the river.
81. take back.
a. trans. To take possession of again, resume: see simple senses and back adv.
a1771Gray Dante 68 Take back, what once was yours. 1908Daily Chron. 26 Oct. 4/6 Molière never said, ‘I take my goods where I find them’, but ‘I take back my goods where I find them’.
b. To withdraw, retract, recall, unsay (a statement, promise, etc.): cf. back adv. 7.
1775A. Adams in Fam. Lett. (1876) 86, I had..made some complaints of you, but I will take them all back again. 1873M. Collins Squire Silchester I. ix. 131, I shall take back my yes if you are troublesome.
c. To carry back in thought to a past time; cf. back adv. 4.
1889Mallock Enchanted Isl. 251 These churches took me back to the crusaders. 1890Temple Bar Mag. May 43 The boy's letter has taken me back ten years.
d. = take aback (fig.): see aback adv. 3. ? dial.
a1860Mrs. H. Wood House of Halliwell (1890) II. i. 6 Hester was never so taken back in her life. Ibid. v. 116 She was ‘taken back’, as the saying runs.
e. intr. To go back, return. ? Obs. exc. dial.
1674N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. To Rdr., Being quite lost in a wilde and a frightful on and on, I e'en took back again where I was. 1889Stevenson Master of B. xi. 284 Having..forgot my presence, he took back to his singing.
82. take down.
a. trans. To remove from a higher to a lower, or from an upright to a prostrate, position; to lower; to carry down; to cut down, fell (a tree); to pull down (a house, etc.: implying also ‘take to pieces’); to distribute (type).
a1300Cursor M. 11664 ‘Ioseph’, sco said, ‘fain wald I rest’... Son he stert and tok hir dun. c1435Torr. Portugal 1426, I rede we take down sayle & rowe. 1548in E. Green Somerset Chantries (1888) 116 One of theis ij churches maye well be spared and taken downe. a1653Binning Serm. (1845) 425 It taketh down the tabernacle of mortality. 1751C. Labelye Westm. Br. 81 Whilst the Arches were unbuilding and taking down. 1818in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) I. 573 Taking down three trees. 1886Troy (U.S.) Daily Times 2 Jan. 1/3 A boat's crew..was taken down by a whale near the Cape Verde islands. 1909R. Renwick in Marwick Edinb. Guilds Pref. 6 The printers, seeing no early prospect of the release of their type.., took it down.
b. With various implications: (a) to swallow; † (b) to cause (a speaker) to sit down (obs.); (c) in Falconry, to cause (a hawk) to fly down; (d) in a school, to get above (another scholar) in class; so of a boat in a race, to get in front of (another boat); (e) to lead (a lady) down to dinner at a party.
1607B. Jonson Volpone iii. v, I will take down poison, Eat burning coals, do any thing. 1656in Burton's Diary (1828) I. 45 Captain Hatsel was speaking to have the debate put off till Monday, but Colonel Purefoy took him down. 1667Fairfax in Phil. Trans. II. 549 Mr. Morley..was advised by some to take down a spoonfull of good English Honey. 1828J. S. Sebright Observ. Hawking 36 They are always taken down after having flown unsuccessfully at their game. 1840M. Edgeworth Let. 30 Dec. (1971) 573 Sir John Campbell took me down to dinner and I was seated of course beside him. 1844Dickens Mart. Chuz. xix, I took him down once, six boys, in the arithmetic class. 1848Thackeray Van. Fair v, Dobbin..was ‘taken down’ continually by little fellows. 1887Mrs. J. H. Perks Heather Hills II. xviii. 308 A quiet dinner-party, with a nice, sensible man to take you down.
c. fig. To abase, humble, humiliate, abate the pride or arrogance of. In quot. 1562, ? to rebuke, reprimand. to take (a person) down a peg: see peg n.1 3.
1562Child-Marriages 112 She had spoken to the said Custance, and taken her downe for the same. 1593Peele Chron. Edw. I, Wks. (Rtldg.) 395 I'll take you down a button-hole. 1608Topsell Serpents (1658) 755 For revenge, and taking down the pride of this young man. 1796M. Robinson Angelina II. 27 He seems to experience..satisfaction in what he calls taking me down. 1857Maurice Ep. St. John i. 4 Whatever takes down a young man's conceit must be profitable to him.
d. To lower, diminish, lessen, abate, reduce; to lower in health or strength, bring low, depress. Now Sc. and north. dial.
1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 209 As for the Females,..Take down their Mettle, keep 'em lean and bare. 1719E. Baynard Health (ed. 2) 22 By Degrees take down your Heat. 1811Self Instructor 539 Olive colours..are first put in green, and taken down again with soot. 1836–7Sir W. Hamilton Metaph. (1877) I. xviii. 342 Taken down with a bilious fever. [See Eng. Dial. Dict.]
e. To write down so as to use or preserve (what is said); to take a written report or notes of. Also, with person as obj.: to write down the words of, to take dictation from.
1712W. Rogers Voy. 248, I took down the Names of those that had any. 1793Trans. Soc. Arts (ed. 2) V. 121 The precision with which you took down their answers. 1883Morfill Slavonic Lit. iii. 48 These ballads had been taken down about the middle of the eighteenth century. 1883‘Mark Twain’ Life on Miss. xxii. 247, I enlisted a poet for company, and a stenographer to ‘take him down’. 1885C. H. Eden G. Donnington I. xii. 240 Reporters would take down the speeches. 1928D. H. Lawrence Woman who rode Away 18 She certainly didn't want to take him down in short hand.
f. spec. To record a contentious statement made in a legislative assembly with a view to invoking disciplinary procedure.
1784Universal Mag. Jan. 45/1 Gen Conway said that he was ready to maintain what he had said. Let the right hon. gentleman move to take down his words, and he would make his charge. 1863Illustr. Times 20 June 422/2 Mr Cox had..insinuated that..Lord Ranelagh wished to have power to flog volunteers; and on Monday Mr. Ormsby Gore rose and denounced these words as ‘scandalous and unfounded’. Whereupon Sir Robert Jackes Clifton jumped up and moved that the words were taken down. 1934Sun (Baltimore) 3 May 1/4 Representative Pettingill..threatened to invoke disciplinary procedure against Mr. Britten by means of what is known in the House as ‘taking down’ his words.
g. To cheat, trick, swindle. Austral. slang.
1895Argus (Melbourne) 5 Dec. 5/2 [The defendant] accused him of having ‘taken him down’, stigmatised him as a thief and a robber.
83. take forth.
a. trans. To lead forth, conduct out of a place; to bring forth, take out of a receptacle, produce; fig. to further, advance.
a1300Cursor M. 2693 (Cott.) Abram tok forth his men. c1460Battle of Otterburn xxxvi. in Child Ballads III. 297/1 The letters fayre furth hath he tayne. 1530Palsgr. 748/1, I take forthe a man, I avaunce hym. 1890Besant Demoniac xv, When he [Damien] was taken forth to have his flesh wrenched off with red-hot pincers.
†b. take forth one's way: to go forth, set forth (see 25 b); also absol., to proceed. Obs.
1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. x. 10 On the iiii. day they toke forth theyr way. 1674N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 187 We shall take forth to our last.
†c. To learn; transf. to teach: = take out, 87 f.
1530Palsgr. 748/1, I take forthe, as a childe, or a scoler dothe a newe lesson, je apprens... Take hym forthe a newe lesson. 1549T. Some Latimer's 2nd Serm. bef. Edw. VI To Rdr. (Arb.) 50 The gettynge of goodes and rytches, before thou hast well learned and taken furth of the lesson, of well vsyng the same. 1581Savile Tacitus, Hist. ii. lxxxiv. (1591) 102 Taught by ill masters, hee tooke foorth [L. didicit] a bad lesson.
84. take in.
* trans. a. To take, draw, or receive into itself, or into something (see simple senses and in adv.); to admit, absorb, imbibe; to receive as a tributary; to eat or drink, to swallow; to breathe in, inhale; to take on board (a ship). In quot. 1583 absol. to admit or let in water, to leak.
13..Cursor M. 6066 (Cott.) Siþen sal ilk hus in take A clene he-lambe, wit-vten sake. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) i. 4 It takes in to him xl. oþer ryuers. 1495Trevisa's Barth. De P.R. xvii. ii. (W. de W.) N j b/2 Full of holys to take in ayre. 1583Leg. Bp. St. Androis Pref. 104 in Sat. P. Ref. (S.T.S.) 350 He lattis his scheip tak in at luife and lie. 1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. x. 12 b, We took in fresh water out of a wel. 1610Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 547 The River Trent..taking in the River Soure from the field of Leicester. 1737Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 103 The first of these takes in their Nourishment by their external..Absorbent Vessels. 1777Hamilton Wks. (1886) VII. 510 The ships are taking in water and provisions for two months. 1890Chamb. Jrnl. 10 May 292/1 She took in amazingly little water. 1892Harper's Mag. Sept. 596/2 It..readily takes in and yields moisture.
b. To receive (money) in payment, subscriptions, etc.; to receive and undertake (work) to be done in one's own house for pay.
1699in Millington's Sale Catal. Skinner & Hampden Libraries, Subscriptions are taken in by John Hartley, over against Gray's-Inn in Holborn. 1832Examiner 403/1 She took in washing only for her amusement. 1889Mrs. E. Kennard Landing Prize II. xii. 209 We supported ourselves..by taking in plain needle-work. 1892Idler June 547 He was taking in more money than he had ever taken in before.
c. To subscribe for and receive regularly (a newspaper or periodical): = sense 15 d.
1712Addison Spect. No. 488 ⁋2 Their Father having refused to take in the Spectator. 1779Mackenzie in Mirror No. 2 ⁋3 A coffee-house, where it is..taken in for the use of the customers. 1891Blackw. Mag. CL. 704/1 Many of them take in the French paper just as they buy ‘Punch’.
d. Cards. To take (a card) into one's hand from the pack.
1879‘Cavendish’ Card Ess., etc. 69 The holder of the ace of trumps ruffed, i.e. he put out four cards and took in the stock. 1891Field 28 Nov. 843/1 If the non-dealer takes in the king, he ought..to lead it.
e. To lead or conduct into a house, room, etc. Also spec., to lead in (to dinner). Cf. sense 82 b (e), 87 c.
c1450Cov. Myst. xxvii. (Shaks. Soc.) 268 Take hym in, serys, be the honde. 1863A. J. Munby Diary 3 June in D. Hudson Munby (1972) 165 The new Lord of the Admiralty..and his wife: whom I took in to supper. 1887M. Monkswell Jrnl fo. 266 recto, 25 May in Victorian Diarist (1944) 132 We dined with the Dean [of Hereford] that very evening. He took me in. 1893Temple Bar Mag. XCVIII. 469 John took Miss Everard in to supper.
f. To receive or admit as inmate or guest.
1539Bible (Great) Matt. xxv. 35, I was herbourlesse, and ye toke me in [Wycl. herboriden me: Tindale, Geneva, lodged me]. 1562J. Mountgomery in Archæologia XLVII. 231 Hospitalles..then the poore souldior..shoulde be taken yn, cured,..and healed. 1702Rowe Tamerl. iv. i, Why stand thy..Doors still open To take the wretched in? 1840Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. I. iii. 265 Invalid horses are taken in..and treated at the hospital. 1849Ibid. X. ii. 413 No tenant-cottager shall take in any lodger.
†g. To receive or accept into some relation (e.g. into surrender, or as hostage or ally). Obs.
1602Ld. Mountjoy Let. in Moryson Itin. ii. (1617) 214 By the generall advice of the Counsell I tooke in Turlough mac Henry. 1606Marston Sophonisba ii. i, Her father..on suddain shall take in Revolted Syphax.
†h. To capture, take prisoner, conquer (in war); to ‘take’ a town. Cf. sense 2. Obs.
1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 285 Leo..wente to Seynt Peter..wiþ þe letayne, and was i-take in, and his eyȝen i-put out, and his tonge i-kut of. 1535Coverdale Jer. xlix. 1 Why hath youre kynge then taken Gad in? 1684Scanderbeg Rediv. v. 109 His Majesty took in Raskaw, a Considerable place on the Deinster. 1709H. Felton Diss. Classics (1718) 10 Open Places are easily taken in.
i. To bring into smaller compass, draw in, reduce the extent of, contract, make smaller; to shorten, narrow, or tighten; to furl (a sail).
take in a reef: to roll or fold up a reef in a sail so as to shorten the sail: see reef n.1 1.
c1515Cocke Lorell's B. 12 Mayne corfe toke in a refe byforce. 1641J. Jackson True Evang. T. ii. 153 But I must contract my selfe, and take in this saile of speech. a1800Cowper Horace ii. Ode x. vi, If fortune fill thy sail..Take half thy canvas in. 1837Dickens Pickw. ix, Strapping a buckle here, and taking in a link there. 1841R. H. Dana Seaman's Man. ix. [heading] Making and taking in sail. 1848Thackeray Van. Fair xliii, Sure every one of me frocks must be taken in,—it's such a skeleton I'm growing. 1889Doyle Micah Clarke xxvii. 281, I took in one hole of my sword-belt on Monday. 1897Outing (U.S.) XXX. 255/1 Take in leaders when about a team's length from corner; then take in wheelers a bit, off-wheeler more than near—in fact, many only take in off-wheel rein a couple of inches.
j. To enclose (a piece of land, etc.); to take into possession (a territory, a common), or into cultivation (a waste); to include; to annex.
c1539in G. J. Aungier Syon Mon. (1840) 131 To dyche in and take in our comyn. 1633G. Herbert Temple, Sunday vi, Christ hath took in this piece of ground, And made a garden there. 1697in Picton L'pool Munic. Rec. (1883) I. 288 Others have a design to take in some Commons near Mosse Lake. 1845Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VI. ii. 301 Numerous waste patches along the sides of wide roads have been taken in. 1893Nat. Observ. 5 Aug. 290/2 France is determined to take in all Siam. 1897D. Sladen in Windsor Mag. Jan. 278/1 A new alcove [has been] formed by taking in one of the..landings.
k. To admit into a number or list; to include, comprise, embrace; spec. to include in the consideration, take into account (quot. 1752); to include in a journey or visit; loosely, to go to.
1647Hammond Power of Keys iii. 23 He hath taken in all the antient Church-writers into his catalogue. 1697Dryden Virg., Life (1721) I. 30 Virgil was a great Mathematician, which, in the Sense of those times, took in Astrology. 1752Hume Ess. & Treat. (1777) I. 106 In the former case, many circumstances must be taken in. 1755in Essex Inst. Hist. Coll. (1916) LII. 80 In our way by the Skuylkill rd. took in ye prop[rieto]rs Gardens. 1870Freeman Norm. Conq. (ed. 2) I. App. 712 Writers who..did not understand that his jurisdiction took in Kent. 1879Lubbock Addr. Pol. & Educ. iii. 55 Attention will be concentrated on the four subjects taken in. 1880‘Mark Twain’ Tramp Abroad iii. 42 An owl that come from Nova Scotia..took this thing in on his way back. 1883Bacon Dict. Boston, Mass. 359 The out-of-towner who fails to take-in a trip to Taft's. 1925New Yorker 7 Mar. 19/1 There's no use me asking you if you took in all the revues. 1940‘N. Shute’ Landfall 26 He might pick up Matheson or Hooper and take in a movie. 1968Globe & Mail (Toronto) 17 Feb. 32 (Advt.) Even take in breakfast at Le Drugstore..and head home again on the return flight. 1977D. Bagley Enemy i. 12 We took in more theatres, an opera, a couple of ballets.
l. To receive into or grasp with the mind; to apprehend, comprehend, understand, realize; to absorb or imbibe mentally, to learn; to conceive.
a1677Hale Prim. Orig. Man. i. i. 12 A created Understanding can never take in the fulness of the Divine Excellencies. 1685Baxter Paraphr. N.T. Matt. xiii. 18–19 By not understanding is meant also, Not considering it to take it in. 1711Steele Spect. No. 79 ⁋5 There is no end of Affection taken in at the Eyes only. 1810Lady Granville Lett. (1894) I. 16 She plays..on the pianoforte, and takes in science kindly from Mr. Smart. 1877Freeman Norm. Conq. (ed. 3) I. App. 731 Writers who do not take in the position of an Earl of the West-Saxons. 1887Baring-Gould Gaverocks III. li. 140 Sluggish minds..require time to take in new notions.
m. To comprehend in one view (physical or mental); to perceive at a glance.
1727–41Chambers Cycl. s.v. Eye, In man..the eye is..so ordered, as to take in nearly the hemisphere before it. 1800–24Campbell View St. Leonard's 18 The eagle's vision cannot take it in. 1878Scribner's Mag. XV. 583/2 We..turned our heads from side to side,..the better to take in the full force of the effect.
n. To believe or accept unquestioningly.
1864Spectator No. 1875. 640 The Undergraduates took it all in and cheered Lord Robert Cecil as their future representative. 1888Farjeon Miser Farebrother II. xiii. 169 Jeremiah listened and took it all in.
o. To deceive, cheat, trick, impose upon. colloq.
1740tr. De Mouhy's Fort. Country-Maid (1741) I. 132 The Griparts were never taken in yet, and what's more never will. 1745Fielding True Patriot No. 9 Wks. 1775 IX. 310 They are fairly taken in, and imposed upon to believe we have..as much money as ever. 1754E. Moor in World No. 96 III. 234, I am almost of opinion that (in the fashionable phrase) he is ‘taking me in’. 1809W. Irving Knickerb. v. iv. (1849) 277 A contest of skill between two powers, which shall overreach and take in the other. 1846Landor Imag. Conv. Wks. II. 228/1 Nobody shall ever take me in again to do such an absurd and wicked thing. 1884Geo. Denman in Law Rep. 29 Ch. Div. 473 The Plaintiff has..been taken in and misled.
p. To offer (a subject) for examination.
a1890Liddon Life Pusey (1893) I. 20 The poets and historians who, at that time, were taken in by candidates for Classical Honours at Oxford.
q. Stock Exchange. To receive contango on (stocks or shares); to accept (stocks, etc.) as security for a loan. Cf. give on b s.v. give v. 61.
1893R. Bithell Counting-House Dict. (ed. 2) 292 The term [taken in stock] is applied solely to stocks taken in for fortnightly or monthly loans on the Stock Exchange. 1911W. Thomson Dict. Banking 503/1 In connection with the Stock Exchange settlements, a ‘taker-in’ is a broker who lends money against stock (i.e. ‘takes in’ stock) to a broker who requires to pay for a purchase. 1912Q. Rev. July 102 The dealer says that he will ‘take them in’, which means that he will lend the money until the settlement following that for which the original bargain was effected. 1928Morning Post 19 Nov. 3/3 If the other man..prefers to take a rate of money rather than to accept the cash which delivery of the shares would produce, he will ‘take them in’—the opposite operation to ‘giving on’. 1934F. E. Armstrong Bk. Stock Exchange vi. 108 When no ‘takers’ can be found someone has to provide the cash, and firms known as money brokers frequently agree to ‘take in’ the securities purely as a money-lending proposition. 1955Beginners, Please (Investors' Chron.) ii. 44 In normal market conditions it is probably easier to ‘take-in’ shares, i.e., carry over a sale to the next settlement, than to ‘give on’ shares, i.e., carry over a purchase. This is because generally there are more bulls than bears. Under such conditions the ‘giver’ pays a rate of interest to the ‘taker’ for the accommodation provided.
r. slang. To take into custody, arrest. Cf. pull in s.v. pull v. 26 e.
1942Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §500/5 Arrest..take, take in or up. 1978J. B. Hilton Some run Crooked xiv. 138 You can tell me now, or I'm taking you in to help. 1979J. van de Wetering Maine Massacre iii. 26 You're not taking me in, sheriff.
** intr. †s. To go in, ‘put in’, enter. Obs.
1654H. L'Estrange Chas. I (1655) 88 Taking in at a Cooks shop where he supt. 1677Johnson in Ray's Corr. (1848) 127 Great shoals of salmon, which often take in at the mouths of our rivers.
†t. take in with: to take part with, side with, agree with. Obs.
1597–8Bacon Ess., Faction (Arb.) 80 It is commonly seene that men once placed, take in with the contrarie faction to that by which they enter. 1646Sir T. Brown Pseud. Epid. i. vii. (1686) 20 Justinian took in with Hippocrates and reversed the decree. 1647N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. i. xxxiv. (1739) 51 Kings doubting to lose their Game, took in with the weaker. a1734North Lives (1826) I. 3 If he had acted in these mens measures, and betraying his master, took in with them.
u. N. Amer. dial. To open, begin, esp. of a school term. Cf. sense 93 r below.
1876‘Mark Twain’ Tom Sawyer 162 She could hardly wait for school to ‘take in’. 1906Dialect Notes III. 160 School takes in early and takes out late, seems to me. 1942Post (Morgantown, W. Va.) 14 Sept. 4 An obligation..upon drivers to be careful of children, esp. in the hours that school takes in and lets out. 1956W. R. Bird Off-Trail in Nova Scotia iii. 99 One girl turned to me and declared she had seen him with it before school took in.
85. take off.
* transitive senses. a. To remove from the position or condition of being on (with various shades of meaning); to lift off, pull off, cut off, rub off, detach, subtract, deduct: see simple senses and off adv.
a1300Cursor M. 14318 He bad..Of þe tumb tak of þe lidd. 1495Ledger-bk. A. Halyburton 40 Som of that sek, the bat of-tan is 17li. 15s. 2. c1530H. Rhodes Bk. Nurture in Babees Bk. 67 With your Trenchour knyfe take of such fragmentes. 1644Winthrop Hist. New Eng. (1825) II. 199 He took off all her commodities, but not at so good rates as they expected. 1703Art & Myst. Vintners 57 Take off the skim, and beat it together with 6 Eggs. 1709Steele Tatler No. 5 ⁋8 A Cannon Ball took off his Head. 1780Coxe Russ. Disc. 267 M. Engel..takes off twenty-nine degrees from the longitude of Kamtchatka, as laid down by the Russians. 1852Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XIII. i. 80 Repeated crops of hay are taken off without any return. Mod. Isn't his name on the list? No, it has been taken off.
(b) spec. To remove from the person, divest oneself, or another, of, doff (a garment, etc.).
a1300Cursor M. 9070 (Cott.) ‘Tas of’, he said, ‘mi kinges croun.’ 13..Ibid. 8116 (Gött.) Wiþ þis þe king tok of his gloue. 1485Caxton Chas. Gt. 212 He..took of hys clothes. a1548Hall Chron., Edw. IV 234 He toke of hys cappe, and made a low and solempne obeysance. 1662J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 140 A little Cap like a Callotte..they never take off. 1736T. Lediard Life Marlborough III. 422 The Armour was taken off. 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 465/1 She took off her shawl. 1891Murray's Mag. Apr. 531 He never takes off his boots and spurs.
(c) To remove or convey (a person) from on shore, from a rock, or from on board ship.
1883Buchanan Love me for Ever v. ii. 261 He had arranged..to be taken off one night, and to sail with them right away. 1889Eng. Illustr. Mag. Dec. 267, I might be able to support life on board of her until the Ruby took me off. 1890Standard 12 Dec. 5/7 The passengers were taken off and landed safely.
(d) absol. To clear the table after a meal: = take away, 80 b.
1828J. T. Smith Nollekens I. 91 Nor do I think wine was even mentioned until the servants were ordered to ‘take off’.
(e) intr. for pass.: see sense 58 f. (f) trans. U.S. Blacks. To rob or burgle; to ‘hold up’. Cf. to rip off (ii), (iv) s.v. rip v.2 6.
1970C. Major Dict. Afro-Amer. Slang 113 Take off,..to rob or hurt. 1972J. Hudson in T. Kochman Rappin' & Stylin' Out 413, I can't go no place expecting to take off some fat sucker if I look like a greaseball. 1973Black World Jan. 56/1 He and Cecil B were to take off a supermarket in San Jose.
b. To drink to the bottom, or at one draught; to drink off, ‘toss off’.
1613Purchas Pilgrimage iii. xv. 271 She dranke to him a cup of poysoned liquor: and hauing taken off almost halfe, she reached him the rest. 1662J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 83 Many Muscovian women took off their Cups as smartly as they [their husbands] did. 1724Ramsay Steer her up, etc. ii, See that shining glass of claret..Take it aff, and let's have mair o't. 1850Hawthorne Scarlet L. iv, And, that thou mayest live, take off this draught.
c. To lead away summarily; refl. to go away, take one's departure, be off.
1836Dickens Pickw. (1837) ii. 7 Here, No. 924, take your fare, and take yourself off. 1838― O. Twist xxiv, He..took himself off on tip⁓toe. 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 609/1 The guilty parties had taken themselves off. 1894Parry Stud. Gt. Composers, Schubert 230 In dread of being taken off as a soldier. Mod. He was arrested and taken off to prison. The child was taken off to bed.
d. To lead away or draw off (in fig. sense); to divert, distract, dissuade; † to free, rid (const. from); † to remove the opposition of by bribery or corruption, to buy off (obs.).
1605Shakes. Macb. ii. iii. 36 It makes him, and it marres him; it sets him on, and it takes him off. a1626Bacon New Atl. (1900) 24 And hee..in great Courtesie tooke us off, and descended to aske us Questions of our Voyage and Fortunes. 1670H. Stubbe Plus Ultra 11 This Philosophy..taking us off from the Pedantism of Philology. 1702tr. Le Clerc's Prim. Fathers 27 Having not undertaken to take them off from this Opinion. a1704Compl. Servant-Maid (ed. 7) 58 You must endeavour to take off your Mistress from all the care you can. a1715Burnet Own Time (1823) I. 467 The chief men that promoted this were taken off (as the word then was for corrupting members). 1890Fenn Double Knot vii, The conversation took off his attention.
e. To remove or withdraw from office, or from some position or relation; to dismiss; to withdraw (a coach, train, etc.) from running. Also in Cricket, to remove (a bowler) after a spell of bowling in order to replace him.
1745Ward in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 369 Whom the Emperor had appointed governour..but afterwards..designed to have taken him off. 1768J. Byron Narr. Patagonia (ed. 2) 189 The centinel was taken off, and we were allowed to look about us a little. 1851W. Bolland Cricket Notes iv. 75 Do not..refuse to bowl any more; neither grumble nor growl if you are taken off. 1858Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XIX. i. 144 My early calves..I allow to suck the cows for a fortnight, then take them off. 1892Field 28 May 779/3 The coaches..will be taken off for one or more days. a1910Mod. Several trains will be taken off on Bank Holiday. 1921G. R. C. Harris Few Short Runs xi. 280 Don't turn sulky because after bowling five consecutive maidens you are taken off. 1977Times 17 Jan. 7/1 When Greig took him off after 95 minutes his figures for the morning were 10-5-7-1.
f. To remove by death, put to death, kill, ‘carry off’, cut off: said of a person (esp. an assassin), of disease, devouring animals, etc.
1605[see taking vbl. n. 6]. 1608Shakes. Per. iv. Prol. 14 To take off by treasons knife. 1618Bolton Florus (1636) 224 Himselfe taken off by sudden death. 1683Burnet tr. More's Utopia Pref., The hiring of Assassinates to take off Enemies. 1701W. Wotton Hist. Rome, Alex. ii. 487 Diseases..took off very many of them. 1770Langhorne Plutarch (1879) II. 828/2 Ptolemy of Cyprus..took himself off by poison. 1832Examiner 6/2 Up to the 20th of November about thirty people had been taken off by cholera. 1840Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. I. iii. 258 The mangold⁓wurzel was..taken off early by the fly.
g. To remove (something imposed), esp. so as to relieve those subject to it.
1593Shakes. Rich. II, iii. iii. 135 Oh God, oh God, that ere this tongue of mine, That layd the Sentence,..should take it off againe. 1660N. Ingelo Bentiv. & Ur. ii. (1682) 147 You think to take off this Inconvenience. 1726‘ Philalethes’ in J. Ker Mem. p. iii, If he would agree to the taking off the Penal Laws. 1737Gentl. Mag. VII. Mar. 172/1 To give immediate Ease to his Majesty's Subjects, by taking off some of the Taxes which are most burthensome to the Poor. 1840Penny Cycl. XVII. 399/2 The ecclesiastical courts may..take off the penance. 1879M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. xiv. 127 He pleased the people greatly by taking off a heavy tax. 1889M. Gray Reproach Annesley iii. ii, The three months' embargo was now taken off.
h. To remove or do away with (a quality, condition, etc.).
1605Shakes. Macb. v. viii. 71 Who..by selfe and violent hands, Tooke off her life. 1611― Cymb. v. ii. 2 The heauinesse and guilt within my bosome, Takes off my manhood. 1652French Yorksh. Spa x. 90 They..should take the water a little warm'd first..the cold being just taken off. 1691H. Consett Pract. Spir. Crts. (1700) To Rdr., Which thing..may..take off the Edge of Detraction. 1737Bracken Farriery Impr. (1756) I. 227 One or two Purges will take off the Running at his Mouth. 1885Mrs. E. Lynn Linton Chr. Kirkland II. vi. 189 The smartest and prettiest kind of cap..took off the severity of her smoothly braided hair.
† (b) To do away with, disprove, confute. Obs.
1630Prynne Anti-Armin. 147, I must needs take off two principall daring obiections. 1682Creech tr. Lucretius (1683) Notes 26 After that I shall take off his exceptions against Providence. 1695J. Edwards Perfect. Script. 478 To take off this seeming argument.
i. (a) To make or obtain (an impression) from something; to print off. In quot. 1660, to receive as an impression (in fig. sense).
1660tr. Amyraldus' Treat. conc. Relig. iii. viii. 489 Those [languages] which live..take off better the impression and graces of the language of the Prophets. 1707Hearne Collect. 24 Jan. (O.H.S.) I. 320 The Stationers were obliged..to take off 200 Copies of any Book. 1817G. Rose Diaries (1860) I. 19 note, He had an impression of 500 taken off. 1825New Monthly Mag. XV. 234/1 The expedient..of taking off an impression in some soft substance.
(b) To make (a figure of something); transf. to draw a likeness of, to portray: = sense 33 b.
a1719Addison (J.), Take off all their models in wood. 1835–40Haliburton Clockm. (1862) 306 A native artist of great promise..that is come to take us off. 1855Thackeray Newcomes xliv, Then Clive proposed..to take his head off; and made an excellent likeness in chalk of his uncle. 1890‘R. Boldrewood’ Col. Reformer (1891) 182 A young lady who could take off a horse like that—the dead image of him—could do anything.
(c) To measure off; to determine or mark the position of: cf. sense 32 c.
1793Smeaton Edystone L. §97 In this way I took off 35..of the most remarkable points,..These 35 primary points having been determined as above.
j. To imitate or counterfeit, esp. by way of mockery; to mimic, caricature, burlesque, parody; to make a mock of. colloq.
1750Chesterfield Lett. (1792) III. 85 He has since been taken off by a thousand authors: but never really imitated by any one. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) II. 120 He so perfectly counterfeited or took off, as they call it, the real Christian, that many looked to see him..taken alive into Heaven. 1789Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France I. 240 At the hazard of being taken off and held up for a laughing-stock. 1809Malkin Gil Blas ii. vii. ⁋20, I can take off a cat to the life: suppose I was to mew a certain number of times? a1845Hood Faithless Nelly Gray v, She made him quite a scoff; And when she saw his wooden legs, Began to take them off! 1879W. Minto Defoe 40 One of the pamphlets which he professed to take off in his famous squib.
k. absol. with from: To detract from, diminish, lessen: = 58 e, 80 c.
1701W. Wotton Hist. Rome 264 This gradual Advancement took off from the Obscurity of his Birth. 1753Chambers Cycl. Supp. s.v. Sal, A defect or flaw, which took off very much from the value of the gem. 1773[J. Richardson] tr. Wieland's Agathon Pref. 14 There are many allusions in it to modern customs.. which take off in a great measure from the antique cast.
l. To close the stitches in knitting; to knit off. Also absol.
1849E. Copley Knitting-bk. 12 By reversing the right hand pin, so inserting it in two stitches, not in front but at the back of the left hand pin, and knitting them off as one. This [way of reducing the number of stitches] is called ‘taking off at the back’.
** intr. m. To abate, grow less, decrease; (of rain) to cease.
1776Cook in Phil. Trans. LXVI. 447, I judged it was about high water, and that the tides were taking off, or decreasing. 1854H. Miller Sch. & Schm. xxi. (1858) 463 No sooner had it [the hurricane] begun to take off than I set out for the scene of its ravages. 1878Stevenson Inland Voy. 20 The rain took off near Laeken. 1899F. T. Bullen Log Sea-waif 93 The breeze now began to take off a bit, and more sail was made.
n. To go off, start off, run away; to branch off from a main stream. (Cf. 63, 63 b.)
c1813Mrs. Sherwood Stories Ch. Catech. xiii. (1873) 112 Dick ran out..and took off into the great bazar. 1825Waterton Wand. S. Amer. iii. iv. 265 The Indian took off into the woods. 188819th Cent. Jan. 44 The second [headwater of the Hugli] takes off from the Ganges about forty miles eastward from the Bhagirathi. 1959I. & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolch. x. 193 Juvenile language is well stocked..with expressions inviting a person's departure, for instance:..take off, [etc.]. 1968Listener 19 Dec. 809/3 I'm not stopping here,..no matter what they say or do... I'm taking off tonight. 1972J. Philips Vanishing Senator (1973) iii. iii. 147 You'd better take off. I've just got to get some sleep. 1978M. Duffy Housespy vii. 178 Danny Oldfield's taken off. I'll let you know when I find her.
(b) To start in leaping; to commence a leap. (Opp. to land v. 8 b.)
1814Sporting Mag. XLIII. 287 The spot where the horse took off to where he landed, is above eighteen feet. 1889Boy's Own Paper 7 Sept. 780/3 Competitors should be encouraged to take-off with accuracy. 1892Strand Mag. III. 633/2 The last attitude one would imagine a horse to adopt in ‘taking off’ for a jump.
(c) Croquet. To make a stroke from contact with another ball so as to send one's own ball nearly or quite in the direction in which the mallet is aimed: cf. take-off n. 4.
1872Prior Notes on Croquet 48 It were an improvement..to tether a ball in the centre of the ground, which at starting should be hit by the players from a spot in the middle of the left-hand boundary. Taking off from this tethered ball, they might go to any part of the lawn.
(d) Aeronaut. Of a pilot, plane, etc.: to perform the operations involved in beginning flight; to become air-borne. Also transf. of a bird.
1849G. Cayley Let. in C. H. Gibbs-Smith Sir George Cayley's Aeronautics (1962) xlii. 136 It is absolutely necessary that the tail be securely braced up a little, and that the centre of gravity be made to act steadily on the bulk of the surfaces so that when weighed up to the weight of the person trying the wings—should it take off, they would skim and not either rise up hill or sink down hill. 1918Punch 3 Apr. 222/2 Yes, he crashed a few days ago—in his first solo flip, taking off. 1927C. A. Lindbergh We ii. 19, I taxied to one end of the field, opened the throttle and started to take off. 1936G. B. Shaw Simpleton ii. 69 All I want is a parapet to take off from. 1951A. C. Clarke Sands of Mars i. 1, I once took-off standing up, just for a bet. 1973Sci. Amer. Dec. 102/1 If the birds are pursued, they take off, but they do not fly far before they land again.
(e) fig. Of prices, costs, etc.: to rise steeply or suddenly. Of a scheme, project, etc.: to be launched (successfully), to become popular.
1963J. N. Harris Weird World Wes Beattie (1964) xv. 184 Minerva took off, as we say, on a famous Friday the thirteenth... The stock rose from nineteen cents to over a dollar in the last half-hour of trading. 1970Melody Maker 12 Sept. 33/3, I shall be pretty sick if Andy Williams' record takes off and mine dies. 1971Physics Bull. Oct. 590/2 Prof. E. C. Cherry..devised an arrangement which resulted in reduction in bandwidth requirements... This likewise has not taken off so far although much more interest is now being shown in it. 1976Ibid. Sept. 401/1 Production and salary costs ‘took off’. 1978Detroit Free Press 5 Mar. b 12/2 They had best seller hopes for the book, but it hasn't really taken off. 1981Church Times 10 Apr. 9/5 Frank Scuffham has hopes of his committee, but acknowledges that it has not taken off yet. 1983Times 20 Jan. 15/3 Sales of existing properties have taken off during the last few months.
o. U.S. dial. To absent oneself from work, school, etc.
1935W. Faulkner As I lay Dying 115 You take off and stay in the house today. 1936W. Greene Death in Deep South (1937) 61 She thought she'd be off in the afternoon and she said she'd take off anyway if she wasn't.
86. take on.
* transitive senses. a. See simple senses and on adv.: in quot. 1877, to take on board (opp. to take off, 85 a (c)).
c1579Montgomerie Misc. Poems xlviii. 140 Tak on ȝour babert luif abuird. 1839Ure Dict. Arts 258 (Cards, Playing) The ink or colour..is..laid on the types and blocks..and the impressions [are] taken-on to thick drawing paper by means of a suitable press. 1877Scribner's Mag. XV. 14/1 He took on the passengers who stood clustered on the wharf.
(b) † To put on, don (clothing, etc.) obs.; to ‘put on’ or add (flesh, etc.): see put v. 46 f (a).
1389in Eng. Gilds (1870) 56 Þe den xal warn alle þe gylde breþeren þt be in toune, for to takyn on here hodis..and comen to messe. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxii. 494 Thenne they went, & toke on the beste clothyng that they had. 1583Satir. Poems Reform., Life Bp. St. Androis 1069 On a gray bonnet he tackis. 1847Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VIII. ii. 392 Sheep..thrive very well and take on flesh rapidly. 1850Ibid. XI. ii. 600 The animal being thus gradually prepared to take on that increased amount of muscle and fat.
† (c) To take up (arms); to arm oneself: see 93 a (c). Sc. Obs.
1565Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 355 Thair rebellis ar planelie conspyrit togidder, takin on arms. 1567Ibid. 524 Thai have takin on armes to puneis the authouris of the said cruell murthour.
b. To assume, ‘put on’ (a form, quality, etc.) = sense 16 a: to assume, begin to perform (an action or function) (cf. 17); to contract, begin to be affected by, ‘catch’ (cf. 44 b, c).
1799Kentish in Beddoes Contrib. Phys. & Med. Knowl. 258 He took on that peevish irritability so unhappy for the individual. 1842Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. III. ii. 331 The blanched leaves soon take on the appearance of frost-bitten celery. 1869G. Lawson Dis. Eye (1874) 41 The ulcer..took on a healing action, and soon cicatrized. 1893M. Gray Last Sentence iii. v, The deep, mysterious eyes would take on a deeper charm.
(b) To adopt (an idea, etc.); to accept mentally.
1890Pict. World 4 Sept. 298/2 That belonged to the days before its author ‘took on religion’, as the Methodists term it. 1893Nat. Observ. 23 Sept. 472/2 He is prepared to throw over all his convictions pretty much as he took them on.
(c) To apprehend with the senses; to perceive, ‘catch’. rare.
1827D. Johnson Ind. Field Sports 45, I have heard the natives assert that they take on the scent of the deer many hours after they have passed.
c. To take (a person) into one's employment, or upon one's staff, to engage (also fig.); to accept in marriage; to receive into fellowship.
1611G. Blundell in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) 97 If Holland take any companies on. 1625Massinger New Way ii. iii, I'll not give her the advantage..To..say she was forced To buy my wedding-clothes, and took me on With a plain riding-suit and an ambling nag. 1826Examiner 631/1 The large manufacturers are about taking on a considerable number of hands. 1893J. B. Thompson in Chicago Advance 20 July, A number of catechumens were taken on during the year.
d. To undertake; to begin to handle or deal with, to ‘tackle’.
[c1325Spec. Gy Warw. 267 Allas! what sholen hij onne take, Þat wolden here her god forsake Þurw sinne of fleschly liking?] 1422[see taking vbl. n. 6]. 1898Daily News 10 Mar. 7/1 We cannot take on both jobs. 1900Sir R. Buller ibid. 12 Nov. 3/4, I had taken on a task, and I was bound to see it through.
(b) To engage (someone) in a fight, contest, argument, etc.
1885Graphic 3 Jan. 11/3 He..so frightened the other..cowards that..they did not care to ‘take him on’. 1915E. Corri 30 Yrs. Boxing Ref. 150 Instead of going for what the boxers call the ‘easy money’, Basham took on Matt Wells. 1928Daily Tel. 24 Apr. 12/6, I saw the Sopwith take him on, and whilst I was changing drums I was attacked again in front by a Roland. 1930G. B. Shaw Apple Cart i. 26 In this conflict we are the challengers. You have the choice of weapons. If you choose scandal, we'll take you on at that. 1976Morecambe Guardian 7 Dec. 8/3 Micky Taylor earned the spotlight with a brilliant, cheeky dribble in which he took on and beat four men.
e. To undertake the management of (a farm, etc.), esp. in succession or continuance.
1861Temple Bar Mag. III. 474 When I was twenty-two, my father died, and I took on the farm. 1889A. V. Carr Marg. Maliphant II. xix. 70, I want him to take on another small farm. 1892Cornh. Mag. Oct. 346 It will be quite impossible for me to take on the lease again.
f. † (a) To assert, asseverate (cf. 17 c). Obs. rare. (b) To pretend, affect.
1858Dickens in Househ. Words Xmas No. 20/1 This gent took on not to know me.
1583Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 26 Yet will they sweare, protest, and take on woonderfully, that it is very new, fresh and tender. Ibid. 48 If they sell you a cow,..will protest and take on woonderfullie, that hee is but this olde, and that olde.
g. To buy on credit. Sc.
1808Jamieson, To tak on, to buy on credit, to buy to accompt. 1866J. H. Wilson Our Father in Heaven (1869) 180, I have heard of young people..going to shops and ‘taking on’ things, as it is called.
†h. To begin, commence (with inf., or intr.); = sense 62. Obs.
c1200Ormin 2553 Ȝho toc onn ful aldeliȝ To fraȝȝnenn Godess enngell. Ibid. 11260 Ȝiff þu takesst onn att an & tellesst forþ till fowwre.
** intransitive senses. †i. To act, proceed, behave, ‘go on’. Const. dative, to a person. Obs.
c1205Lay. 3333 Ȝef ferrene kinges hiherde þa tidinde, þe we swa takede him on. Ibid. 5592 Þat word come to Belinne..heo he hauede itaken on. Ibid. 10175 Þa þis wes al idon þa token heo oðer weise on. Ibid. 31619 Whæt Penda king hafueð iseid and hu he wulle taken on. c1305Pilate 149 in E.E. Poems (1862) 115 Ou liþere man,..haþ he itake on so, Assentede he to þe gywes? 1362Langl. P. Pl. A. iii. 76 For toke þei on trewely þei timbrede not so hye. c1450Lovelich Grail lvi. 505 And thus these lyowns Gonnon On to take Til the tyme that Cam Lawncelot de lake.
reflexive.c1205Lay. 30680 On alle wissen he toc him on swulc he weore a chepmon.
j. To ‘go on’ madly or excitedly; to rage, rave; to be greatly agitated; to make a great fuss, outcry, or uproar; now esp. to distress oneself greatly. Now colloq. and dial.
c1430Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 5200 That yondre knight on the white stede Taketh on as a deuel in dede. 1472Paston Lett. III. 57 My modyr wepyth and takyth on mervaylously. 1530Palsgr. 750/1, I take on lyke a madde man, je menraige. 1535Coverdale Num. xiv. 1 Then the whole congregacion toke on and cryed, and the people wepte. 1600Holland Livy ii. xxvii. 61 All this while Appius raged and tooke on, inveying bitterly against the nicetie and popularitie of his brother Consul. 1668Pepys Diary 8 Apr., Her mother and friends take on mightily. 1767Woman of Fashion I. 157 You'll make me cry too, if you take on in this Manner. 1830Galt Lawrie T. i. ix, He took on like a demented man. 1852Thackeray Esmond ii. i, She took on sadly about her husband.
k. To assume airs; to behave proudly or haughtily; to presume; to take liberties. (Cf. 18 e.)
1668R. Steele Husbandman's Calling vi. (1678) 143 If a worm should take on, lift up itself, and be proud, then anything may be proud. 1851Beck's Florist 180 ‘Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall’. I began to take on; and if the squire gave me any orders, I did not take 'em as I ought to have done.
l. To take service or employment, to engage oneself; to enlist.
a1670Spalding Troub. Chas. I (1851) II. 335 Diuerss daylie took on [to serve in the army]. 1748Smollett Rod. Rand. xvi, If you take on to be a soldier. 1778Foote Trip to Calais iii. Wks. 1799 II. 377, I am engaged to take on with Miss Lydy. 1890Lippincott's Mag. Mar. 336 At the end of their term of enlistment [they] would refuse to ‘take on’ again in D Troop. 1892Field 7 May 698/3 ‘Then’, replied one of the men, ‘I will take on at 4s.’
(b) With with: to engage oneself to; to begin to associate with, to consort with; = take up with, 93 z; to adopt as a practice, etc.
1737Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 51 Such a Drake has been more used to a Hen when he was young, and..will the sooner take on with her when he grows older. 1844Fraser's Mag. XXX. 104/1 The misthress is going to take on with Mister Jowles the praacher. 1886M. Gray Silence Dean Maitland i, I liked Charlie Judkins well enough before he took on with this love-nonsense. 1894G. Moore Esther Waters 154 His young woman must be sadly in want of a sweetheart to take on with one such as him.
m. To ‘catch on’, become popular: = sense 10 c. colloq.
1897‘Ouida’ Massarenes xvii, He saw how greatly these musical entertainments ‘took on’.
87. take out. trans.
a. To remove from within a place, receptacle, or inclosure; to extract, withdraw, draw forth: see simple senses and out adv.
13..Cursor M. 20564 (Gött), I toke þaim vte on [v.r. with] mi right hand. 1382Wyclif Ps. lxviii. 15 [lxix. 14] Tac me out fro clei, that I be not inficchid. c1450Merlin i. 1 Whan that oure lorde..had take oute Adam and Eve, and other [from hell]. 1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iv. v. 206 Their stings, and teeth, newly tak'n out. 1711Addison Spect. No. 94 ⁋9 He had only dipped his Head into the Water, and immediately taken it out again. 1889F. M. Crawford Greifenstein II. xx. 280 Rex took out his purse and gave him a gold piece. Mod. I asked for the book at the library, but it had been taken out the day before.
(b) To remove, extract (a stain, etc.).
1727Gay Begg. Op. i. ix, Money..is the true fuller's earth for reputation, there is not a spot or a stain but what it can take out. Mod. Ammonia will take out the grease-spots.
(c) intr. for pass. See sense 58 f.
b. trans. To withdraw from a number or set (actually or mentally); to leave out, except, omit.
c1200Ormin 8601 Þatt ȝer þatt he wass takenn ut Þurrh Drihhtin Godd fra manne. c1315Shoreham Poems i. 552 Þaȝ he ne toke iudas out, Þe worste man on erþe. Mod. There are 91 festivals in the Prayer Book Calendar; but if you take out those that have no special Collects, there are only 24.
c. To lead or carry out or forth: with various special implications, as: to lead (a partner) out from the company for a dance; to summon (an opponent) to a duel, to ‘call out’; to lead (a person or animal) into the open air for exercise; to lead (a woman) in (to a formal dinner), etc. Cf. sense 82 b (e), 84 e.
1613Shakes. Hen. VIII, i. iv. 95, I were vnmannerly to take you out, And not to kisse you. 1665Pepys Diary 13 Apr., When the company begun to dance, I came away, lest I should be taken out. 1749Fielding Tom Jones vii. xiii, When a matter can't be made up, as in a case of a blow, the sooner you take him out the better. 1811Jane Austen Lett. 29 May, Mrs. Welby takes her out airing in her barouche. 1876Trollope Prime Minister III. x. 166 John Fletcher took her out to dinner and Arthur did not sit near her. 1877Scribner's Mag. XV. 65/1 He had even promised to take her out on the ice. 1880Trollope Duke's Children ii. xx. 240 It was of course contrived at dinner that Lord Popplecourt should take out Lady Mary. 1893J. Ashby-Sterry Naughty Girl ii, It was awfully good of you to take the children out, Charlie. 1905J. H. Choate Let. 27 Jan. in E. S. Martin Life J. H. Choate (1920) II. viii. 272 The King took Mama out to dinner. a1910Mod. Take the dog out for a run. 1913in C. Seymour Intimate Papers Col. House (1926) I. vii. 188 He considered taking a duchess or royalty out to dinner was hard sledding.
(b) Cricket. to take out one's bat: said of a batsman who is ‘not out’ at the end of the innings.
1890Standard 9 May 3/8 He was batting nearly four hours and eventually took out his bat for 90. 1892Sat. Rev. 16 July 63/2 The captain..took out his bat for 60.
†d. (a) To give vent to, utter. (b) To announce, give out (a text). Obs.
1678Dryden All for Love Pref., Ess. (Ker) I. 197 He took out his laughter which he had stifled. 1697G. Burghope Disc. Relig. Assemb. 6 They will take care to come before the text is taken out.
e. To make a copy from an original; to copy (a writing, design, etc.); esp. to extract a passage from a writing or book.
1530Palsgr. 750/1, I take out a writyng, I coppy a mater of a boke, je copie. 1573Art of Limming 11 A pretie deuise to take out the true forme & proporcion of any letter, knott, flower, Image, or other worke. 1604Shakes. Oth. iii. iii. 296, I am glad I haue found this Napkin:..Ile haue the worke tane out. Ibid. iii. iv. 180 Take me this worke out..I would haue it coppied. Mod. To read a book and take out quotations for the dictionary.
(b) To extract from data.
1881Times 10 Nov. 4/2 The surveyor employed..to take out the quantities on the architect's plan—that is, to estimate the quantities of materials and labour which will be required to carry out the proposed plans. 1896[see quantity 13].
† f. To learn (a lesson); transf. to teach. (See also 83 c.) Obs.
a1591H. Smith Wks. (1866) I. 499 If we be negligent and slack, and never take out his lessons, but s and at a stay. 1629Earle Microcosm. lxv. (Arb.) 89 He hath taken out as many lessons of the world, as dayes. 1642Strangling Gt. Turk, etc., in Harl. Misc. (1745) IV. 37 The Discipline of War must take you out other Lessons of Fury.
g. To apply for and obtain (a licence, patent, summons, or other official document) in due form from the proper authority.
1673Essex Papers (Camden) I. 93 Y⊇ vacating their charter, & forcing them to take out a new one. 1687Burnet Cont. Reply to Varillas 76 The Bishops were obliged to take out new Commissions from the King..for holding their Bishopricks. 1726Berkeley Let. T. Prior 27 Jan., Wks. 1871 IV. 123, I have not yet taken out letters of administration. 1840Jrnl. Roy. Agric. Soc. I. iii. 351 Patents have been recently taken out for supposed improvements. 1892Sat. Rev. 30 Apr. 497/1 [He] took out a summons against him.
h. To obtain or enjoy completely. ? Obs.
1631Celestina 217, I will goe downe and stand at the doore, that my Master may take out his full sleepe.
i. To obtain, receive, use up, spend, the value of (something) in another form. Const. in.
1631Heywood Fair Maid of West Wks. 1874 II. 280 Because of the old proverbe, What they want in meate, let them take out in drinke. 1763Foote Mayor of G. i. Wks. 1799 I. 168 When he frequented our town of a market day, he has taken out a guinea in oaths. 1828Examiner 794/1 [He] has no objection, when a poor tradesman cannot advance the fee, to take it out in goods. 1891Review of Rev. 15 Sept. 236/2 The prize was one guinea, which had to be taken out in books.
j. intr. To go away, make off, start out. U.S.
1855in Montana Hist. Soc. Contrib. (1940) X. 137, I took out in order to give them the slip. 1896‘Mark Twain’ in Harper's Mag. Aug. 355/1 Out jumps four men and took out up the road as tight as they could go. 1929W. Faulkner Sound & Fury 310 They'll have to hitch up and take out to get home by midnight. 1938M. K. Rawlings Yearling i. 11 How come you to take out such a fur piece?
k. Bridge. To remove (one's partner) from his situation in the auction by changing the suit of the probable contract or by bidding in response to his double. Also into (the fresh suit), with bid as obj., and absol.
1917E. Bergholt Royal Auction Bridge (1918) 88 How am I to know..whether you are taking me out from strength or from weakness? 1921A. M. Foster Auction Bridge 38 If your partner takes you out from weakness into a suit call you are likely to be fined. 1956Mollo & Gardener Bridge for Beginners vii. 75 Responder may have a feeble five or six-card suit and nothing else. Then he takes out the double. 1977Homes & Gardens Feb. 17 If..you held hand II, then it would be correct to take out into Two Hearts. Ibid. 14 Most players would take their partners out into Four Hearts on both of these hands.
l. To kill, murder; to destroy or obliterate (a specific target). slang.
1939R. Chandler Big Sleep ii. 26 I'll take him out... He'll think a bridge fell on him. 1955Times 28 June 4/4 The purpose of the attack was to ‘take out’—as the strategist's jargon has it— the docks. 1962L. Deighton Ipcress File xviii. 109 In terms of destructive area, this is a bomb that would take out a whole city. 1967J. M. Fox Dead Pigeon 170 ‘He took out two people who could have involved him’.. ‘Took out? You mean he killed them?’ 1977Times Lit. Suppl. 15 Apr. 464/4 A sudden air attack, which would take out London, on a scale comparable with the attacks on Dresden or Hiroshima in 1945. 1978M. Duffy Housespy v. 124 He was taken out yesterday... They ran him down. 1982Daily Tel. 14 June 4/8 For several hours, as a commanding officer and his officers tried to ‘take out’ the sniper with machine gun, rifle and artillery fire, his bullets ricochetted off rocks above our heads.
m. Austral. and N.Z. colloq. To accept as a punishment, reward, etc.; to win.
1943K. Tennant Ride on Stranger xvi. 176 George Benson told her briefly he would see her husband had a lawyer. He would probably get a month at the most and he'd better ‘take it out’. 1976Australian 15 July 2 Helen Morse..takes out the Australian Film Institute's top actress award tomorrow night. 1977N.Z. Herald 8 Jan. i. 6/8 The Games we play..can't..end, till Someone takes them out.
88. take out of. trans.
a. To withdraw or remove from within (lit. and fig.); to extract (a stain) from: see simple senses and out of n.
to take the words out of one's mouth: see mouth n. 3 l.
c1200Ormin Ded. 209 To tăkenn ut off helle wa Þa gode sawless alle. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 133 While he dwellede longe in Fraunce..Chedde was i-take out of his abbay of Lestynge. c1425Cursor M. 16442 (Trin.) Þe monsleer þat barabas was take out of prisoun. 1535Stewart Cron. Scot. (Rolls) II. 660 [He] Out of the erth his deid bodie hes tone. 1659in Burton's Diary (1828) IV. 451 Take heed you take not the thorn out of another's foot, and put it in your own wholly. 1771E. Haywood New Present 246 To take Ink out of Linen. 1882M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal III. iv. 59 He took the cartridges out of the case himself.
b. To get, derive, or obtain from.
1579W. Wilkinson Confut. Familye of Loue B iv, Out of their knowledge, whiche they take out of the Scriptures. 1650J. French tr. Paracelsus' Nat. Things ii. 17 Any flint taken out of River water. 1821Scott Kenilw. i, There were as good spitchcocked eels on the board as ever were ta'en out of the Isis.
c. To subtract or deduct from. Now rare.
1593T. Fale Dialling 14, I take the complement of the Elevation, which is 38d. out of the reclination of the plat which is 55d., and there remain 17d. 1703Moxon Mech. Exerc. 127 A setting off of 8 Foot broad and 10 Foot long taking out of the Yard.
d. To deprive a person or thing of (some quality, etc.); spec. to deprive of (energy or the like); usu. to take it out of, to exhaust, fatigue.
1847S. Wilberforce in Life (1879) I. 402 There is so much of interest in a Confirmation, that it takes a great deal out of one. 1858Hawthorne Fr. & lt. Note-Bks. II. 68 Rome..takes the splendor out of all this sort of thing elsewhere. 1884H. Smart Post to Finish xxxii, Now you say you cannot come, and all the salt is taken out of my holidays. 1890Mrs. Laffan L. Draycott ii. i, The sort of day that takes it out of a man.
e. To remove from the jurisdiction of; to prove not to come under (a statute).
1885Sir C. S. C. Bowen in Law Rep. 29 Ch. D. 810 The burthen of taking the case out of the Statute of Limitations rests on the Appellant. 1891Law Times XCII. 105/2 All lawyers are familiar with the doctrine of part performance to take a case out of the statute.
f. To take (something) from a person in compensation: to take it out of, to exact satisfaction from.
1851Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 31/2, I take it out of him on the spot. I give him a jolly good hiding. 1888McCarthy & Praed Ladies Gallery I. iv. 91 What we have to miss in sight-seeing we try to take out of the people in the cars. 1901Scotsman 29 Nov. 8/2 In the olden days the villages ‘took it out’ of each other with club and spear.
g. to take one out of oneself: to distract one's attention from one's own concerns; to amuse, divert or occupy (a person).
1848G. E. Jewsbury Let. 4 Oct. in Lett. to Jane W. Carlyle (1892) 257 There are no bothering algebraical calculations as far as I went, but glimpses, as it were, into the ‘everlasting universe of things’, till one is taken out of oneself completely. 1908A. Bennett Old Wives' Tale iv. iv. 531 Dr. Stirling wished to practise his curative treatment of taking the sisters ‘out of themselves’. 1929J. B. Priestley Good Companions ii. iii. 301, I haven't enjoyed anything so much, I don't know when..they're so good they've taken me right out of myself. 1941A. Christie Evil under Sun xii. 218 Poirot had..dwelt on the advantage it would be to Linda to have something to take her out of herself. 1958P. Marris Widows & their Families ii. 21 My sister..took me out for walks. It's wonderful how it takes you out of yourself. 1974[see outside interest s.v. outside B. 6].
89. take out on. trans. In phr. to take it out on (someone or something): to vent one's anger, frustration, etc., on an object other than the cause of it.
1840H. Cockton Valentine Vox xxi. 158 P'r'aps you'd like to take it out on me, 'cos if yer would, yer know, why ony say so. 1903‘C. E. Merriman’ Lett. from Son vi. 72 Milligan..came around to take your cussing of him out on me. 1926G. Hunting Vicarion xviii. 311 Make some records of me, and take it out on them. 1947A. Huxley Let. 9 Mar. (1969) 567 He can't associate sex with respectability, but he has to take it all out on tarts or housemaids. 1958Daily Sketch 2 June 12/6 You may be irritable at work, but don't take it out on your colleagues. 1967Listener 11 May 611/2 The country took out its frustrations on Congress. 1978P. Marsh et al. Rules of Disorder ii. 39 My brother..was a troublemaker and now they're taking it out on me.
90. take over. trans.
†a. = overtake 1. Obs.
c1330Arth. & Merl. 7163 The paiens token ouer our men, And fast leyd upon hem then.
b. To take by transfer from, or in succession to another; to assume possession or control of (something) from or after some one else. Also absol. Also to take over from: to relieve, take the place of, succeed.
1884A. Forbes Chinese Gordon ii. 36 The army whose command he took over in its headquarters. 1887Westall Capt. Trafalgar xiv, [He] took service with us when we took over the Eureka. 1890H. S. Merriman Suspense viii, Brenda took over all the smaller household duties. 1891Law Reports, Weekly Notes 43/1 The..company was formed..for the purpose of taking over the business..carried on by the plaintiff. 1916‘Boyd Cable’ Action Front 182 The colonel was severely wounded and had sent for the second in command to take over. Ibid. 234 Riley..explained the position to the subaltern who took over from him. 1946D. C. Peattie Road of Naturalist i. 20 A ranker, branching dandelion took over from the desert dandelions. 1978J. Gardner Dancing Dodo xiv. 101 Terry Makepiece was not going to take over on this. He would see it through himself.
c. To carry or convey across, to transport.
Mod. The ferry-boat will take you over.
91. take to. In passive to be taken to = to be taken aback: see 76. dial.
1865Mrs. H. Wood Mildred Arkell xxxii, Mr. Van Brummel, considerably taken-to at being addressed individually, lost his head completely. 1872Argosy Sept. 183 Mr. T. might possibly have been slightly taken to.., but there was no symptom of it in his voice. [See Eng. Dial. Dict.]
92. take together.
a. trans. See simple senses and together.
†b. To collect: cf. pull v. 34 b. Obs.
c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xix. 429 But he toke togyder his strengthes, & stode vpryghte.
c. To consider or reckon together (cf. 26 c), or as a whole; to reckon as a group or collection.
1678Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iv. §14. 258 Plato in his Cratylus taking these two words, Ζήνα and Διά, both together, etymologizeth them as one. 1742Richardson Pamela IV. 107 Numps, his Son, is a Character, take it all together, quite of Nature and Probability. Mod. Taken together, there cannot be more than a dozen.
93. take up.
* transitive senses. a. To lift, raise (from the ground, etc., or from a lying or prostrate position); to pick up; also, to lift or raise (something hanging down) so as to expose what is covered by it. Somewhat arch.
a1300Cursor M. 3064 (Cott.) Drightin has herd þi barn cri, Rise and tak it up for þi. 1382Wyclif John v. 9 The man is maad hool, and took vp his bed, and wandride. c1420–30Prymer (1895) 9 Þi riȝthond took me vp. 1596Shakes. Tam. Shr. iii. ii. 164 The Priest let fall the booke, And as he stoop'd againe to take it vp [etc.]. 1610Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 278 The garter..which fell from her as she daunced, and the King tooke up from the floor. 1720De Foe Capt. Singleton v. (1906) 83 Ten men with poles took up one of the canoes and made nothing to carry it. 1844Hood Bridge of Sighs 5 Take her up tenderly, Lift her with care. 1890Univ. Rev. Feb. 232 Martin..had taken up a stone to throw at him.
(b) spec. To raise or lift from some settled position, e.g. (plants) out of the ground, (a corpse) out of the grave, (a carpet) from the floor, etc.; to break up the surface of (a field, road, etc.).
† to take up the table: to clear the table after a meal (orig. to remove the board off the trestles: see table n. 6 b). Obs.
13..Cursor M. 8045 (Cott.) Quen þe king þam [þaa tres] had vp-tan, His ost þam honurd þan ilkan. 15..[see table n. 6 b]. 1513More in Hall Chron., Rich. III (1548) 27 b, Some saye that kynge Richard caused the priest to take them vp,..and to put them in a coffyne. 1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xxi, The table being taken vp, the Ambassador..entred into the pauilion. 1612[see table n. 6 b]. 1625Massinger New Way i. ii, 'Tis not twelve o'clock yet, Nor dinner taking up. 1836–9Dickens Sk. Boz, Sentiment, The carpet was taken up. 1841Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. II. ii. 229 The turnips were taken up and carted. 1895Times 5 Feb. 8/2 That would mean taking up all the streets in South London.
(c) With special obj., implying a purpose of using in some way: as, to take up one's pen, to proceed or begin to write; to take up a book (i.e. with the purpose to read); to take up the (or one's) cross (see cross n. 4, 10): to take up arms, the cudgels, the glove, the hatchet (see the ns.).
c1420Brut ccxlii. 355 Þay waged batayle & cast doun her gloues; & þanne þey were take vp and seled. 1481,1579[see glove n. 1 d]. 1590–[see gauntlet n.1 1 c]. 1621T. Williamson tr. Goulart's Wise Vieillard A ij b, I tooke up my Pen againe, and at starts and tymes finished it. 1660tr. Amyraldus' Treat. conc. Relig. ii. iv. 216 He took up arms for the conservation of his Country. 1712Steele Spect. No. 514 ⁋1 Not finding my self inclined to sleep, I took up Virgil to divert me. 1816Scott Old Mort. xxx, That the cause of his country, and of those with whom he had taken up arms, should suffer nothing from being entrusted to him. 1866G. Macdonald Ann. Q. Neighb. i, A man had to take-up his cross.
(d) To raise, lift (one's hand, foot, head, etc.). Now of a horse or other beast.
c1425Cursor M. 15227 (Trin.) Vp he toke his holy hond & ȝaf þe benesoun. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon ix. 249 Rycharde that lay a grounde thus wounded..toke up his hede, and sayd [etc.]. 1737Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 73 He steps boldly, and takes up his Fore-Feet pretty high. Ibid. 77 A Horse should take up his Feet moderately high.
(e) To take (a person) from the ground into a vehicle, or on horseback, etc. Said of a person, or of the carriage, horse, train, etc. Also absol. of a vehicle, a train, etc. To take up its occupants.
1689Lond. Gaz. No. 2511/4 A Hackney-Coachman took up 3 Persons at Mark-Lane-end. 1710Ibid. No. 4735/4 A Hackney Coach..that took up his Fair in Southwark. 1831Scott Ct. Robt. xiii, We should not criticise the animal [elephant] which kneels to take us up. 1857Trollope Barchester T. x, Carriages..were desired to take up at a quarter before one. 1893Eng. Illustr. Mag. X. 257/2 Our coach..duly took us up, and set us down. 1898Westm. Gaz. 27 June 10/1 All carriages will take up on the Embankment and Savoy-hill. 1909Bradshaw's Railway Guide Aug. 21 Stops to take up 1st class Passengers for London. Ibid., Stops to take up for Reading or beyond.
† (f) fig. To ‘raise’ (a siege). Obs. rare.
c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxiii. 493 Charlemagne..receyued theim honourably, and toke vp his siege, and went agen to parys.
b. To lead, conduct, convey, or carry (a person or thing) to a higher place or position.
a1300Cursor M. 17547 (Cott.) Þat helias in ald dais, Was taken up als vnto heuen. 1526Tindale Acts i. 9 Whyll they behelde he was taken vp, and a cloude receaued hym vp out of their sight. 1748Anson's Voy. ii. viii. 219 The taking up oysters from great depths..by Negro slaves. Mod. He took me up into the belfry. You needn't walk up the stairs; they will take you up in the lift.
(b) spec. To bring (a horse, ox, etc.) from pasture into the stable or stall.
1482Cely Papers (Camden) 122 Lette hym [a horse] ron in a parke tyll Hallowtyd and then take hym wpe and ser hym and lette hym stand in the dede of whynter. 1688R. Holme Armoury iii. xix. (Roxb.) 184/2 Take vp your horse, is to take him from grasse to be kept in the stable. 1844Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. V. i. 75 Calves..are taken up at night about the latter end of October. 1846Ibid. VII. ii. 394 Sixteen polled beasts..were taken up.
c. To pull up or in, so as to tighten or shorten; to make fast in this way, as a dropped stitch. In quot. 1882 intr. for pass. to become shortened, shrink. Also, † to make (a further hole) in order to shorten a strap. Hence, to shorten or tighten (a garment, pattern, etc.), esp. by hemming or tucking.
1804M. Edgeworth Pop. Tales, To-Morrow 340 This operation of taking up a stitch..is one of the slowest. 1818C. Brown Let. 7 Aug. in Lett. J. Keats (1958) I. 361, I must have another hole taken up in the strap of my Knapsack. 1882Nares Seamanship (ed. 6) 226 The longer the rope the more it takes up. 1891M. M. Dowie Girl in Karp. iii. 33 Each girth was altered to its last hole, the stirrup-leather taken up half a yard, but nowhere could it grip the little beast. 1892Field 8 Oct. 545/3 The direction to the groom would be ‘take up’ (or ‘let down’, as the case may be) the near-side horse's coupling rein. 1916L. I. Baldt Clothing for Women ix. 186 To shorten pattern... Lay fold at same point, to shorten length, unless a great deal has to be taken up, in which case some could be taken from the bottom. 1937P. H. Richards Dress Creation xiii. 113 The quantity taken up in the tucks should amount in all to the distance between A and C. 1972A. Ross London Assignment 28 The trousers were a fraction long, and would need to be taken up.
(b) To tie up or constrict (a vein or artery); ‘to fasten with a ligature passed under’ (J.).
1565Blundevil Horsemanship iv. iii. (1580) 2 b, Most diseases are healed either by letting of bloud, by taking vp of vaines, by purgation, or else by cauterisation. 1737Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 41 The Absurdity of taking up the Veins for the Cure of Spavins. 1840Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. I. iii. 322 Should any considerable [blood] vessel be opened, it will be necessary to take it up by passing a thread underneath it, and tying it tightly.
d. To take into one's possession, possess oneself of; with various shades of meaning, as: to purchase wholesale, buy up; to get, receive, or exact in payment; to levy; to borrow (at interest); to hire; to apply for or claim. Cf. take-up n. (a.) 6.
1421Coventry Leet Bk. 29 Þat no maner of fresche fysher by, ne take up, no maner of fresche fysche of men of the contrey by way of regratry. c1440Jacob's Well 40 And þou apeyryst & lessyst þat tythe in takyng vp þi cost, here þou makyst þe cherche thrall. 1528Bill in R. G. Marsden Sel. Pl. Crt. Adm. (1894) I. 41, I Thomas Thorne..have taken up by exchange of Thomas Fuller merchaunt..the sum of lxli sterling. 1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie iii. xii. (Arb.) 179 He that standes in the market way, and takes all vp before it come to the market in grosse and sells it by retaile. 1655tr. Com. Hist. Francion iv. 23, I must buy me a Cloak lined with plush, or take one up at the Brokers. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) II. 130 He took up all the money he could, at any interest. 1838T. Mitchell Aristoph. Clouds 6 Strepsiades had for the purchase taken up money with two usurers, Pasias and Amynias. 1890Pict. World 2 Jan. 11/3 The whole of the limited edition..was taken up by the booksellers on the day of publication. 1971Guardian 15 Apr. 1/1 A major campaign to persuade people to take up their welfare and social security benefits has been launched by the Government.
(b) To take (land) into occupation; to begin to occupy, settle upon. Cf. also v (b).
1478Acta Dom. Conc. (1839) 6/1 He occupijt and tuke vp sa mekle of þe said landis of þe ȝeris forsaide. 1682S. Wilson Acc. Carolina 16 Rent to commence in two years after their taking up their Land. 1890‘R. Boldrewood’ Col. Reformer (1891) 76 Persons..could ‘take up’, that is merely mark out and occupy, as much land as they pleased.
(c) To accept or pay (a bill of exchange); to advance money on (a mortgage); to subscribe for (stock, shares, a loan) at their original issue.
1832Examiner 283/1 It was not convenient for her husband to take up the bill. 1847C. G. Addison On Contracts ii. v. §1 (1883) 771 A person who takes up a bill supra protest for the benefit of a particular party to the bill succeeds to the title of the party from whom..he receives it. 1869Bradshaw's Railway Man. XXI. 402 Of 100,000 new 10l. shares..84,837 have been taken up. 1873Spencer Stud. Sociol. x. 251 Not one of the thousand shares was taken up. 1888Rider Haggard Col. Quaritch xi. 84, I am disposed to try and find the money to take up these mortgages. 1890Chamb. Jrnl. 10 May 294/1 Sums of money could be remitted for the purpose of taking up bills on the last day of grace. 1891Harper's Mag. Nov. 946/2 He persuaded the citizens to take up the Queen's loans themselves.
(d) To make (a collection). Sc. and U.S. Also fig.
1849E. Davies Amer. Scenes 42 While they were singing Brother such-a-one would ‘take up the collection’. 1880‘Mark Twain’ Tramp Abroad ix. 88 She became a sort of contribution box. This dear young thing in the theatre had been sitting there unconsciously taking up a collection [of fleas]. 1892― in Idler Feb. 15 They take up a collection and bury him. 1908Daily Chron. 21 Dec. 4/7 The tambourine..still serves its notable purpose for ‘taking up’, as the Scotch say, a collection.
†e. To obtain or get from some source; to adopt, ‘borrow’ (= sense 30); to apprehend with the senses, perceive (quot. 1607); to deduce, infer (= 31 b); to contract, ‘catch’ (= 44 b). Obs.
1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 454 Presently the wilde beasts take it [the scent] up, and follow it with all speed they can. 1628Earle Microcosm. ii. (Arb.) 22 Notes of Sermons, which taken vp at St. Maries, hee vtters in the Country. 1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. iii. ii. §5 That the general conclusions of reason..were taken up from the observation of things as they are at present in the world. 1700Dryden Pref. Fables Ess. (ed. Ker) II. 255, I find..I have anticipated already and taken up from Boccace before I come to him. 1848Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. IX. ii. 360 We can conceive that an animal..should take up the disease, and afterwards communicate it to others.
† (b) ? To receive, get, have accorded to one.
1639Fuller Holy War v. xxvi. (1647) 274 A chronologer of such credit that he may take up more belief on his bare word than some others on their bond.
f. To receive into its own substance or interstices; to absorb (a fluid); to dissolve (a solid); also, to receive and hold upon its surface (quot. 1840). Also absol. (see quot. 1974).
1682Art & Myst. Vintners xxxviii. 20 Dip in it [printed it in] so many cloaths as will take it up, and put the cloaths in your Hogshead. 1737Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 105 Nutritive Juices, taken up by the absorbent Vessels. 1758Reid tr. Macquer's Chym. I. 47 An acid cannot take up above such a certain proportion thereof as is sufficient to saturate it. 1805W. Saunders Min. Waters 29 Water, at a moderate temperature, will readily take up its own bulk of carbonic acid gas. 1840Gosse Canadian Nat. xvi. 251 Capable of taking up and holding a large quantity of water. 1877Scribner's Mag. XV. 141/2 The elastic roller thus takes up the color from the pores of the wood. 1892Cornh. Mag. Sept. 257 Water will take up 2 lb. 10 oz. of salt to the gallon. 1960E. L. Delmar-Morgan Cruising Yacht Equipment & Navigation vii. 86 The planks and timbers will dry out... When they are once again waterborne they will leak until the wood ‘takes up’. 1974J. Keats Of Time & Island xi. 177 The [fibreglass] boats did not have to be put into the river to soak, or take up, as the people said.
(b) Engin. To accept, absorb, or assimilate (by gearing, etc.).
1921Conquest Oct. 510/2 It appears to have solved the problem generally of how gradually and smoothly to take up and transmit the power of a prime mover or motor. 1966Listener 24 Nov. 773/1 Although the paint is applied neatly, there are slight irregularities... These slight irregularities help the colours to engage with each other,..rather as the slightly abrasive surface of a clutch-plate takes up the transmission.
g. To grasp with the mind; to apprehend, understand: = sense 46; take in, 84 l. Also with the speaker as obj. (= 46 b). Obs. exc. Sc. in general sense; now only in restricted sense: To apprehend, appreciate (points in discourse, etc.).
1659W. Guthrie Christian's Gt. Interest viii. (1724) 88 A Man may take up his gracious State by his Faith, and the Acting thereof on Christ. 1741Watts Improv. Mind i. vi. §6 A student should never satisfy himself with bare attendance on the lectures of his tutor, unless he clearly takes up his sense and meaning. 1825Jamieson s.v., He taks up a thing before ye have half said it. 1867N. Macleod Starling I. v. 55, ‘I do not take you up, sir’, replied the Sergeant. Mod. He is a humorous speaker, and his jokes were well taken up by the audience.
h. To accept. † (a) To accept mentally (upon credit or trust), believe without examination, take for granted. Obs. (b) To accept (anything offered, esp. a challenge, a bet: also the person who offers it). Cf. 40. See also gauntlet n.1 1 c, glove n. 1 d: see a (c).
1626Bacon Sylva §34 It is strange how the ancients took up experiments upon credit, and yet did build great matters upon them. 1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. i. iv. §8 Greek writers..took up things upon trust as much as any people in the world did. 1711Addison Spect. No. 126 ⁋9 Notwithstanding he was a very fair Bettor, no Body would take him up. 1880G. Meredith Tragic Com. xviii, Marko..had taken up Alvan's challenge. 1892Sat. Rev. 8 Oct. 403/2 Mr. Stanley (on taking up the freedom of Swansea) spoke very vigorously on the subject. 1893Temple Bar Mag. XCVII. 21 It don't concern you who takes up the bets.
(c) to take (a person) up on (something): to accept an offer, invitation, etc. colloq.
1914S. Lewis Our Mr. Wrenn v. 63 ‘We'll go Dutch to a lodging-house.’.. ‘All right, sir; all right. I'll take you up on that.’ 1948‘N. Shute’ No Highway vii. 192 It's just an estimate... I didn't want people to take me up on it like this. 1961J. Stroud Touch & Go iv. 45 ‘Tell her not to hesitate to ask.’ ‘Thank you... I might take you up on that.’ 1974‘E. Ferrars’ Hanged Man's House xv. 149 I'll go over to see Mrs Bayne and take her up on her invitation to lunch. 1979B. Parvin Deadly Dyke xxiv. 134, I must be going. I'll take you up on that coffee later.
i. To take (a person) into one's protection, patronage, or other relation; to adopt as a protégé or associate; to begin to patronize.
1382Wyclif Luke i. 54 He, hauynge mynde of his mercy, took vp Israel, his child. 1482Monk of Evesham (Arb.) 35 That worshipfull olde fader the whiche..had take me vp to be a felow with him of his wey. 1530Palsgr. 751/2, I take up, as a man taketh up his frende that maketh hym curtesye. a1635Naunton Fragm. Reg. (Arb.) 26 The blow falling on Edward late Earl of Hereford, who to his cost took up the divorced Lady, of whom the Lord Beauchamp was born. 1848Thackeray Van. Fair li, When the Countess of Fitz-Willis..takes up a person, he or she is safe. 1877Scribner's Mag. XV. 62/2 He is just the man to take up a girl whom everybody neglected. 1892Black & White 10 Dec. 679/1 A great art patron took him up and he became ‘the fashion’.
†j. To levy, raise, enlist (troops). Obs.
1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 219 b, He toke vp all that were able to weare armure. 1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. i. 199 You are to take Souldiers vp, in Countries as you go. 1632Lithgow Trav. iii. 91 He was taken vp as a souldier.
† (b) intr. for refl. To enter (military or naval) service; to enlist; = take on, 86 l. Obs.
1689Shadwell Bury F. i. ii, The top of their fortune is to take up in some Troop.
k. trans. To capture, seize. † (a) Chess. = sense 2 d. Obs.
c1440Gesta Rom. xxi. 71 (Harl. MS.) Þe rook..holdith length & brede, and takith vp what so is in his way. c1470Treat. Chess (MS. Ashmole 344 lf. 5), Then he takith hym vpp with his knight.
(b) Falconry. To bring under restraint (a young hawk ‘at hack’) in order to train it: see quot. and hack n.2 1. Cf. b (b).
1826J. S. Sebright Observ. Hawking 8 When..[Hawks] have omitted to come for their food at the accustomed hour, for two or three successive days,..it will be necessary to take them up, or they would in a short time go away altogether. 1881E. B. Michell in Macm. Mag. Nov. 40 An experienced falconer will ‘take up’ a young merlin from hack and have him trained in three or four days.
† (c) to take up for hawks: (app.) to seize and slaughter (an old or useless horse) as meat for hawks; hence allusively, taken up for hawks = done for, ruined. Obs.
1471J. Paston in P. Lett. III. 7, I beseche yow, and my horse..be not takyn up for the Kynges hawkys, that he may be had hom and kept in your plase. a1553Udall Royster Doyster iii. iii, Ye were take vp for haukes, ye were gone, ye were gone. [Cf.1632Brome Northern Lasse i. iv, 'Slid I'le marrie out of the way; 'tis time I think: I shall be tane up for Whores meat else.]
l. To seize by legal authority, arrest, apprehend; in quot. 1821, to summon as a witness.
1596Spenser State Irel. Wks. (Globe) 679/1 Though the sherriff have this authoritye..to take up all such stragglers, and imprison them. 1682Wood Life 25 Nov. (O.H.S.) III. 31 Duke of York hath brought an action against one Arrowsmith..upon the statute of Scandalum magnatum, who is taken up for it. 1796Southey Lett. fr. Spain (1799) 303 The Alcayde took up all the inhabitants of the village where it happened. 1821Galt Ann. Parish xii, It was thought she would have been taken up as an evidence in the Douglas cause. 1861Temple Bar Mag. II. 358 [He] was taken up for sacrilege, and brought before a magistrate.
†m. To arrest the progress or action of; to check, stop, ‘pull up’. Obs.
1631Weever Anc. Fun. Mon. To Rdr. 7, I haue beene taken vp in diuers Churches by the Churchwardens..and not suffered to write the Epitaphs. 1699W. Dampier Voy. II. i. iv. 78 For a small piece of Money a man may pass quiet enough, and for the most part only the poor are taken up.
n. intr. for refl. To check oneself, stop short, ‘pull up’; to slacken one's pace; to restrain oneself; to reform, mend one's ways. Now U.S., of a horse; also intr. of a rider, to rein in.
1613Fletcher, etc. Captain iv. iii, Take up quickly; Thy wit will founder of all four else, wench, If thou hold'st this pace: take up, when I bid thee. 1661Pepys Diary 13 Nov., My expensefull life..will undo me, I fear,..if I do not take up. a1700B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew s.v. Oats, One that has sown his wild Oats,..begins to take up and be more Staied. 1832Examiner 611/1 She longs to make her fortune by her trade, that she may ‘take up and live godly’. 1868Atkinson Cleveland Gloss., Tak' up,..to reform one's ways. 1942Sun (Baltimore) 20 Oct. 15/1 Fogoso..cut sharply in front of Sunset Boy, causing Jimmy Berger to take up. 1946Ibid. 2 Oct. 15/2 Red Tag ran into tight corners at the head of the stretch and was forced to take up. 1950Ibid. 20 May 11/1 Queen May, ridden by Joe Culmone, was not to get through... Culmone was forced to take up.
(b) Of weather: To improve, mend, become fair.
1845Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VI. ii. 570 The weather took up immediately afterwards. 1889Froude Two Chiefs Dunboy xiv, On the second evening the weather began to take up.
(c) ‘Mech. To close spontaneously, as a small leak in a steam-pipe or water-pipe’ (Cent. Dict.).
o. trans. To check (a person) in speaking; to interrupt sharply, esp. with an expression of dissent or disapproval; to rebuke, reprove, or reprimand sharply or severely. Also to take up short: see short.
1530Palsgr. 750/1 It pityed my herte to here howe he toke hym up. 1573L. Lloyd Marrow of Hist. (1653) 241 His wife Xantippe began to take her husband up with taunting and opprobrious words. 1645T. Coleman Hopes Deferred & Dashed 2 [He] rebukes him sharply, takes him up roundly. 1768Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) I. 80 Those, who would find fault with us for attributing colour, heat, and cold, to inanimate bodies, take us up before we were down. 1885‘Anstey’ Tinted Venus i. 14 ‘You do take one up so’, he complained! ‘I never intended nothing of the sort’. 1886H. Conway Living or Dead xxv, She wondered why the master took her up so short when she had mentioned his name.
†p. ‘To oppose, encounter, cope with’ (Schmidt Shaks. Lex.). Obs.
1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, i. iii. 73 His diuisions..Are in three Heads: one Power against the French, And one against Glendower: Perforce a third Must take vp vs. 1607― Cor. iii. i. 244 Corio. On faire ground, I could beat fortie of them. Mene. I could my selfe take vp a Brace o'th' best of them. 1641Baker Chron. (1660) 274 King Henry..in June kept a solemn Just at Greenwich, where he and Sir Charles Brandon took up all commers.
†q. (?) To touch up; to urge on, incite. Obs.
1565Stapleton tr. Bede's Hist. Ch. Eng. v. vi. 158 But when I sawe them take their horses vppe with the spurres [L. concitatis..equis].
r. To begin, commence (an action); esp. to begin to utter, set up, raise (laughter, lamentation, etc.). In quot. 1689 with inf. (obs.); in 1878 absol. (dial.). Obs. exc. intr. in U.S., (esp. of a school term) to begin, start up. Cf. sense 84 u above.
c1400Brut 131 The Kyng his hondes lifte vp an hye, and a grete laughter toke op. c1425Cursor M. 15990 (Trin.) Þe cok toke vp his fliȝt. c1500Merch. & Son 103 in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 139 The goste toke up a gresely grone, with fendys awey he glode. a1610Healey Theophrastus (1636) 70 Then hee would take up a great laughter, as if some prodigy or ominous thing had happened. 1689Aubrey Lives (1898) I. 150 (2nd Ld. Falkland) 'Twas not long before he tooke-up to be serious. 1871E. Eggleston Hoosier Schoolm. xii. 104 Meetin's took up. 1878Scribner's Mag. XV. 653/1 Meanwhile the ‘animal show’ at the appointed time ‘took up’, as the country people expressed it. 1903J. Fox Little Shepherd iii. 42 When school ‘took up again’, Chad was told to say them aloud in concert with the others. 1949‘J. Nelson’ Backwoods Teacher 51 Four other children..trooped in, having belatedly heard that school was taking up today. 1961M. Beadle These Ruins are Inhabited (1963) iii. 46 Red's school took up in two days.
† (b) To start, raise, or begin a song; hence (Sc.) to lead the singing of (a psalm) in church. Obs. (Cf. also to take up one's parable: parable n. d.)
a1380Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. xxiii. 1089 We han taken vp þe song Of Iubilacion. 1577Burgh Rec. Edinb. (1882) IV. 60 The oulklie pentioun of ten schillingis appoynttit to Edwerd..Hendersoun, for all the dayis of his lyfe for taikin vp of the spalmes. 1637in Cramond Ann. Cullen (1888) 39 To read in the kirk and take up the psalm every Sabbath. 1825Jamieson s.v., ‘He tuke up the psalm in the kirk’, he acted as precentor.
s. trans. To begin afresh (something left off, or begun by another); to enter anew upon; to resume.
1654–66Earl of Orrery Parthen. (1676) 692 With Atasernes I joyfully took up our way to the Camp. 1712Addison Paraphr. Ps. xix, Soon as the evening shades prevail, The moon takes up the wondrous tale. 1833H. Martineau Manch. Strike i. 5 When at last she lost her voice..he took up the word. 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 482/2 Mr. Ward's diary takes up the history..just where Lord Malmesbury's memoirs leave it. 1879M. Pattison Milton xii. 161 He took up all the dropped threads of past years. 1902O. Wister Virginian xxxii, We took up our journey, and by the end of the forenoon we had gone some distance.
t. To adopt (a practice, notion, idea, purpose, etc.); to assume (an attitude, tone, etc.); to engage in, ‘go in for’ (a study, profession, business, etc.).
a1450Knt. de la Tour (1906) 64 She wolde not take hede to abyde unto her neygheboures..haue taken up the guyse or array that she wold haue. 1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie ii. xii. (Arb.) 122 They of late yeares haue taken this pastime vp among them. 1611Bible Transl. Pref. 6 To haue the Scriptures in the mother-tongue is not a quaint conceit lately taken vp. 1660tr. Amyraldus' Treat. conc. Relig. ii. ii. 163 He seem'd to have took up a resolution of trampling upon those superstitions. 1712Arbuthnot John Bull i. iv, Lewis Baboon had taken up the trade of Clothier. 1821Southey in Q. Rev. XXV. 289 Whatever part indeed Cromwell took up would be well maintained. 1890Sat. Rev. 20 Sept. 355/1 Those parts of the Ethics which they are obliged to take up for ‘Greats’.
(b) To take in hand, proceed to deal practically with (a matter, question, etc.); to interest oneself in, espouse, embrace (a cause).
1502Star Chamber Proc. Michaelm. 18 Hen. VII, The said late Shireffes..caused two of her frendes to take up this haynouse matier betuix theym as arbitrours. 1771Mrs. Harris in Priv. Lett. Ld. Malmesbury I. 221 This [conflict with the City] was taken up yesterday in the House; the Speaker gave a detail of the fact. 1820Examiner No. 618. 109/1 How generous to take up the cause of the afflicted! 1869Freeman Norm. Conq. III. xiii. 312 The cause of William was eagerly taken up. 1892Law Times XCIII. 459/2 Mr. Bros..suggested that the Public Prosecutor should take the matter up.
†u. To make up, settle, arrange amicably (a dispute, quarrel, etc.). In quot. 1666, to make up temporarily, ‘patch up’. Obs.
1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 21 b, He had done as much as lay in him that the matter might be taken vp. 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. v. iv. 104, I knew when seuen Iustices could not take vp a Quarrell. 1605Lond. Prodigal ii. ii, If you come to take up the matter between my master and the Devonshire man. 1666Pepys Diary 24 Oct., The thing is not accommodated, but only taken up.
† (b) To make up, make good. Obs.
1662W. Gurnall Chr. Arm. iii. 302 If you be hindred of your rest one Night by business, you will take it up the next.
v. To proceed to occupy (a place or position, lit. or fig.); to station or place oneself in; = sense 27.
1565Stapleton tr. Bede's Hist. Ch. Eng. 86 Taking vpp his inne, and finding the neighbours of the parish at feast with the oste. 1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie ii. v. (Arb.) 88 He taketh vp his lodging, and rests him selfe till the morrow. a1672Wood Life (O.H.S.) I. 109 When they were going to their..beds, two or 3 houres after he had taken up his rest. 1736Wesley Wks. (1872) I. 26 Mr. Delamotte and I took up our lodging with the Germans. 1840Thirlwall Greece lviii. VII. 307 He cleared the defiles and took up his quarters for the rest of the winter at Celænæ. 1888McCarthy & Praed Ladies' Gallery II. ii. 29, I did not accept his invitation to take up my residence in his house. 1893Traill Soc. Eng. Introd. 15 We may take up a position from which we can survey the entire array.
† (b) To engage or hire (a lodging) for the purpose of occupying; = sense 15 c. Cf. d (b). Obs.
1602Marston Antonio's Rev. i. ii, Twere best you tooke some lodging up, And lay in private till the soile of griefe Were cleard your cheeke. 1709Strype Ann. Ref. I. xv. 188 The Bp. of London's palace, and the Dean of Paul's house,..were taken up for the French ambassadors.
(c) take up house: † to take or rent a house (obs.); to start housekeeping; become a householder. Sc.
1612Shetland Act in Scotsman 29 Jan. (1886) 7/2 It sall not be lesum for servile persones not worth..72 punds Scottis to tak up houssis. 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 13/1 He was unwilling to incur the expense of taking up house. 1876Smiles Sc. Natur. i, John Edward and his wife ‘took up house’ in the Green, one of the oldest quarters of the city.
† (d) absol. or intr. To take up one's quarters, lodge, ‘put up’. Obs.
1626B. Jonson Staple of N. iv. ii, How much 'twere better, that my Ladies Grace Would here take vp Sir, and keepe house with you. 1662Pepys Diary 14 Oct., To Cambridge.., whither we come at about nine o'clock, and took up at the ‘Beare’. 1724De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 14, I was..forced to take up at a little village.
w. trans. To occupy entirely; to occupy the whole of, fill up (space, time, etc.); to occupy exclusively (quot. 1615); to occupy so as to hinder passage, to obstruct (quots. 1607, 1631). Cf. 28.
1607Shakes. Cor. iii. ii. 116 My throat of Warre be turn'd..into a Pipe.., and Schoole-boyes Teares take vp The Glasses of my sight. 1610Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 633 It tooke up in compasse above a mile. 1615G. Sandys Trav. 69 The men take them [the public baths] up in the morning, and in the afternoone the women. 1631Weever Anc. Fun. Mon. 11 Tombes are made so huge great, that they take vp the Church, and hinder the people from diuine Seruice. 1640S. D'Ewes in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 167 Some petitions..tooke upp our time a great parte of the morning. 1705tr. Bosman's Guinea 490 The sixteen Red Cliffs, which take up in all about three Miles in length. 1719De Foe Crusoe (1840) I. v. 85 The 7th..I took wholly up to make me a chair. 1825New Monthly Mag. XIV. 392 The first quatrain..is taken up with a list of rivers. 1885Mrs. E. Lynn Linton Christ. Kirkland II. ix. 274 It took up his time and bored him.
(b) To use up, consume (labour, material): cf. 28. ? Obs.
1679Moxon Mech. Exerc. viii. 142 The Fraiming work will take up more labour. 1712J. James tr. Le Blond's Gardening 121 You may fill up the Holes to the Level of the Ground.., to take up the Earth that may possibly remain to be disposed of. 1719De Foe Crusoe (1840) I. iv. 80 The prodigious deal of time and labour which it took me up to make a plank or board.
(c) To occupy or engage fully, engross (a person, his attention, mind, etc.). Chiefly in pass. (const. with, sometimes in); also in Sc. and north. dial. = to be taken with, take an absorbing or engaging interest in.
1599B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. v. ii, He is taken up with great persons. a1617Bayne Lect. (1634) 201 To take our selves up with some behoofefull duty. 1624Massinger Renegado iv. i, I am so wholly taken up with sorrow. 1712Budgell Spect. No. 301 ⁋8, I was wholly taken up in these Reflections. 1832H. Martineau Hill & Valley v. 76 She is taken up with making her husband comfortable. 1886Ruskin Præterita I. vi. 174, I was extremely taken up with the soft red cushions of the armchairs. 1892Mrs. H. Ward David Grieve ii. vii, I think he feels he must make his way first. His business takes him up altogether.
** intransitive senses.
(See also subordinate uses in j (b), n, n (b), (c), r, v (d).)
x. take up for: to stand up for, take the part of, side with. U.S. Cf. to take for, 20 b.
1878Scribner's Mag. XV. 769/2 To Amanda's surprise her father took up for Mark. Ibid. XVI. 627/2 Twonnet thought..that it was a shame for..Mr. Whittaker to take up for Bonamy. 1936M. Mitchell Gone with Wind xii. 234, I knew you were doing it just to take up for me. 1977New Yorker 6 June 85/1 ‘Wouldn't it embarrass you, hearing that your daddy spent a night in jail?’ And Henry said no, it wouldn't—not if he knew his daddy had been taking up for someone.
y. † take up in, to interest oneself or itself in, concern itself with, have reference to. Obs.
1665J. Spencer Vulg. Proph. 120 Hath not the World out-grown the follies of Auguries..and took up in the resolves of Reason, as the best Oracle to consult in a civil business? c1666South Serm., John vii. 17 (1697) I. 246 The former Articles, that took up Chiefly in Speculation and Belief.
z. take up with. (Cf. take with, 75 a-c.) (a) To associate with (a person); to begin to keep company with; to consort with (esp. with a view to marriage); to become friendly with, to form a relationship with. Cf. i.
a1619Fletcher Wit without M. i. i, He's taken up with those that woo the Widow. 1693Humours Town 28 The man of Mode takes up with a damn'd Jilt. 1815Scott Guy M. xi, To see his daughter taking up with their son. 1824Examiner 250/2 Having..absconded and taken up with another woman. 1887E. E. Money Dutch Maiden (1888) 329 If you cannot marry her, you won't care to take up with another. 1957R. Hoggart Uses of Literacy iii. 76 The woman he ‘took up with’ was likely enough to be married herself and of roughly the same age as his own wife. 1963Australasian Post 14 Mar. 44/1 Miss Dolly has ‘taken up’ with a poor but respectable cabinet-maker and his wife... She sells her stolen nag to help them out. 1977Daily Express 29 Jan. 7/2 The story is of a poor but pretty girl..who breaks her engagement to a morose butcher..and takes up instead with a feckless punter.
(b) To adopt, espouse (esp. as a settled practice); to assent to, agree with, accept. arch.
1692Bentley Boyle Lect. 58, I could as easily take up with that senseless assertion of the Stoicks. 1724A. Collins Gr. Chr. Relig. 275 Taking up with all manner of false proofs in behalf of Christianity. 1825Froude in Rem. (1838) I. 178 My lately having taken up with reading sermons. 1885J. Martineau Types Eth. Th. I. 127 We take up at once with the belief that the space around us is empty.
† (c) To be satisfied with; to content oneself with, put up with, tolerate. Obs.
1609Holland Amm. Marcell. 394 Never doe wee find that he tooke up with any mild correction and punishment. 1633Bp. Hall Hard Texts 395 (Jer. xxii.) I will not take up with the old and meane buildings of my Ancestors. 1726Butler Serm., Love God Wks. 1874 II. 186 Nature teaches and inclines us to take up with our lot. 1736― Anal. ii. viii. ibid. I. 300 The unsatisfactory nature of the Evidence, with which we are obliged to take up. 1825New Monthly Mag. XIII. 588 The book-sellers..buy all the good books, and the joint stock company must take up with the refuse of the market.
† (d) To betake oneself to: = take to, 74 c. Obs.
1785S. Fielding Ophelia I. iv, At night he again took up with his Couch.
XIII. 94. In various idiomatic phrases (besides those mentioned under the senses to which they belong), as take into account, in (into) one's head, in (to) pieces, to task, in tow, upon trust, in vain, to witness, at one's word, in worth, etc., for which see the ns.
☛ Key to phrases treated under the senses.
Not including the adverbial combinations 76–93, nor all phrases referred to the n. or other leading word in them; see also 72, 94.
Take an accent 22, t adieu 55, t after 73, t against 20 b, t aim 64, t the air 13 b, t alarm 65, t and 25 d, t as it comes 42 e, t assizes 32, t the attention 10 d, t a bath 13 b, t beginning 52 b, t blind 7 d, t one a blow 5 b, t buck, bull 39 b, t the chair 27, t charge 66, t in charge 17, t cold 44 b, t with compasses 32 c, t credit 21, t at cards, at chess 2 d, t the crown 16 c, t day 67, t one's death 40 b, t a degree 34, t one's dick 17 b, t diligence 51 c, t a disease 44 b, t as done 47 e, t drink 13, t in earnest 42, t end 72, t an examination 32 a, t the eye 10 d, t a fall 52 d, t farewell 55, t a fence 43, t the Fifth Amendment 17 b, t as one finds 42 b, t fire 68, t five 52 c, t flight 72, t to flight 74 b, t food 13, t for 20 b, 48, t form 16 a, t fright 50, t in good part 42, t good-night 55, t the gown, the habit 16 c, t to a habit 74 e, t by the hand 3, t in or on hand 17, t a hint 41, t hoarse 7 d, t hold 69, t horse 39 b, 70, t house 15 c, t in idle 26 b, t ill 7 d, e, 42, t an inflexion 22, t inn 25, t inquisition 32 a, t intent 51 c, t interest 50, t into 4, t it 17 c, 42 d, 47 c, t it from me 41 b, t it from there 29 b, t a joke 42 c, t a journey 52, t knighthood 34, t labour 19 b, t lame 7 d, t a lease 15 c, t leave 21, 72, t or leave 39 a, t leg 24 c, t a letter 33 a, t one's life 58 b, t the life of 58 b, t in marriage 14 b, t medicine 13, t mercy 51 b, t to mercy 14, t minutes 33 a, t an oar 16 c, t an observation 32 b, t an obstacle 43, t off one's feet 58, t on 50 c, 86, t on oneself 16, 18, t over 57 a, t a paper, periodical 15 d, t a photograph, picture 33 b, t the points 43, 46, t possession 71, t punishment 37, t a resolution 51 a, t salt 13, 44 c, t satisfaction 37, t ship 24 c, t short 8 b, t a size (in gloves, etc.) 28 b, t snuff 13, t in snuff 42, t (so much) 28, t a spill 52 d, t one's stand 27, t a step 52, t a stick to 24 b, t temperature 32 b, t ten 52 c, t that 34 d, t thought 51 c, t to 74, t one's time 28, t toil 19 b, t a trip 52, t trouble 19 b, t truce 54, t a turn 52, t upon oneself 18, t the way 25 b, t on one's way 25 c, t well 42, t (to) wife 14 b, t wing 24 c, t to wing 74 b, t with 75, t with one 57 d, 59 b, c.
▸ trans. Baseball. Of a batter: to refrain deliberately from swinging at (a pitch).
1926Frederick (Maryland) Post 15 Sept. 3/8 His observations had to do with the count of three balls and one strike on the batter. He is firmly convinced that at such a stage, it is always wise to take the next pitch. 1967Encycl. Brit. III 232/1 A batter is said to take a pitch when he makes no effort to swing or bunt the ball pitched past him to the catcher. 1994D. Halberstam October 1964 (1995) Prol. p. xiii, A classic leadoff hitter who knew how to hit on the opposite field and how to take a lot of pitches and draw walks from pitchers. 2003N.Y. Times (National ed.) 26 Oct. viii. 2/2 Whenever a hitter takes a close pitch with two strikes, Palermo instinctively punches him out, baseball lingo for when an umpire..calls strike three.
▪ II. take, n.|teɪk|
Also 6 tayke, 9 Sc. and north. dial. tak, takke: cf. tack n.2
[f. take v.]
1.
†a. = tack n.2 2, a lease of land or of a farm for a term of years. Obs.
1511Test. Ebor. (Surtees) V. 24, I will that my wif & my childre have my take in my fermhold in Kendale. 1542Ibid. VI. 157 Also I give to my wif my take of yeres of the parsonadge of Kellyngton. 1599Knaresb. Wills (Surtees) I. 220 All the tayke of my farmehold to bringe up my children withall.
b. The act of taking or leasing (land); the land taken; a holding; cf. tack n.2 2 b. dial.
1805Dickson Pract. Agric. I. 80 The quantity of land he must till, would occupy so much of his time, that the take would..be injurious to him. c1850Northampt. Dialect, This is my neighbour's take that we are on now, and that yonder is Lord B.'s. 1896Daily News 19 Sept. 2/5 A few new ‘takes’ have been at less money, but old tenants have had to be content with a 10, 5, and..1 per cent. allowance. 1905Tuckwell Remin. Radical Parson xi. 157 He..will increase his take, build a cottage on it through a building society [etc.].
2. a. That which is taken or received in payment, or as proceeds of some business or transaction; pl. takings, receipts. In quot. 1654, ? impost, contribution imposed. Also spec., personal income or earnings (U.S. colloq.).
1654Nicholas Pap. (Camden) II. 41 The take off 200,000 crownes is now sett, and the Emperor declared his present shallbe apart. 1850N. Wiseman Let. 9 Dec. in Dublin Rev. (1919) Jan. 9 On Sunday the church was open... You may judge of the crowds when I tell you that the take was {pstlg}94. 1891Daily News 14 Sept. 2/1 Confident of large ‘takes’ for to-day and Sunday. 1892Stevenson Across the Plains 193 [They] depart, if the ‘take’ be poor, leaving debts behind them. 1905Westm. Gaz. 15 June 11/1 The current [railway] returns include the long-distance Whitsuntide takes. 1937Sun (Baltimore) 9 Feb. 11/2 There is the case of the check⁓room girl in a hotel, who receives tips for each garment checked, but turns her ‘take’ over to the management. 1943Ibid. 25 Feb. 12/1 They will seek to increase their take by selling whisky on the side. 1966P. O'Donnell Sabre-Tooth v. 83 It was a big enough take for her to make a once-only comeback from retirement. 1970‘B. Mather’ Break in Line v. 59 The luggage coolies..who kicked back half of their take to the Pathan hall porter. 1978Detroit Free Press 5 Mar. b7/6 Isley will have to make do with his take from the Tractor Pull.
b. Criminals' slang (chiefly U.S.). Money acquired by theft or fraud.
1888J. Greenwood Policeman's Lantern 69 A tidyish ‘take’ brought about by what he called the ‘sweetstuff lay’. 1927C. F. Coe Me—Gangster xiii. 228 After the stick-up..Carrots..can watch the take till I send the porter over after it. 1934Sun (Baltimore) 14 July 3/5 A self-confessed confidence man..testified that he always handed his take to Graham, who..kept fifteen per cent for providing police protection. 1955Publ. Amer. Dial. Soc. xxiv. 194 The day's take is the knock up, and the mob usually pools expenses for the day..and this amount is taken off the top (the total take). 1963G. J. McCall in A. Dundes Mother Wit (1973) 422 The multimilliondollar ‘take’ of the hoodoo complex.
c. U.S. colloq. A percentage of a sum of money which is deducted, as for tax or other levies.
1935Sun (Baltimore) 18 Jan. 14/7 Once the mutuel ‘take’ is raised over 7½ per cent. Maryland no longer can compete with other Eastern tracks. 1942Ibid. 20 Mar. 14/2 What is the whole take of the Lewis dues collectors? How much of that take is a compulsory tribute through strong-arm imposition of closed-shop contracts? 1975Lamp (Exxon Corporation) Winter 11/2 A recent act of Parliament imposes a special tax on revenues from British fields; combined with royalties and corporate income taxes, it raises total government ‘take’ to as much as 75 per cent, depending on the size of the field.
†3. A seizure; a spell of magic or witchcraft; enchantment. Obs. rare.
[Cf. take v. 7, quot. 1598.]1678Quack's Academy 7 He has a Take upon him, or is Planet-struck.
4. ‘Taking’ or captivating quality, charm. rare.
1794A. M. Bennett Ellen IV. 179 Her face..had that kind of harmony and take in it, which when it has once pleased, will not cease to do so.
5. a. An act of taking or capturing an animal, or (usually) a number of animals (esp. fish) at one time; also the quantity so caught; a catch.
1753Scots Mag. Aug. 422/1 There was a great take of herrings. 1851Mayhew Lond. Labour (1861) II. 60/1 The yearly ‘take’ of larks is 60,000. 1854Badham Halieut. 339 Of late years..greater takes have been effected off those of New England alone, than from the great fishery of Newfoundland itself. 1859Bain Emotions x. 189 The pleasure of each successful throw..rendering it easy [for the angler] to go on for a long time without a take. 1876Smiles Sc. Natur. vi. 101 The weather..gave promise of an abundant ‘take’ of moths. 1883Daily Tel. 25 June 7/1 Small boats being used to ferry the takes of fish to the smacks or steamers.
b. The action or process of catching fish, etc.
1854H. Miller Sch. & Schm. iii. (1858) 43 We..became knowing..about the take and curing of herrings. 1881A. Lang Library 11 The ‘take’, as anglers say, is ‘on’ from half-past seven to half-past nine a.m.
6. a. An act, or the action, of taking (in general).
1816–[see give and take 2, 3]. 1885Times 25 May 9 At each take there is a certain amount of waste.
b. Chess, etc. The taking of a piece or pieces.
1870Hardy & Ware Mod. Hoyle, Draughts 107 Such a dashing ‘take’ as this would not be likely to happen in actual play. 1903Times, Lit. Suppl. 31 July 236/3 A good problem seldom commences with a check or take.
7. a. Printing. A portion of copy taken at one time by a compositor to be set up in type; = taking vbl. n. 5 c.
1847J. S. Robb Streaks of Squatter Life 54 Here was a ‘take’ in the book of human nature, which was most ‘fair copy’. 1853‘Mark Twain’ Let. 26 Oct. (1917) I. i. 26 When one gets a good agate take, he is sure to make money. 1864in Webster. 1871Printers' Register 6 Nov., The first ‘take’ of copy which fell to our share was about two and a half pages of 12 mo Long Primer. 1882J. Southward Pract. Print. (1884) 146 The compositor is bound to write his name on his copy, with a mark showing where he began to set... Each of these portions is..called a ‘take’. 1890W. J. Gordon Foundry 192 In the small hours of the morning..the last speech is coming in on relays of flimsy telegrams, and the compositors are working short ‘takes’ of half a dozen lines apiece.
b. The amount taken down at one time by each one of a staff of reporters.
1872J. S. Jeans West. Worthies 98 The take of reporters became very much shortened, until they now seldom exceed a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes.
8. a. Med. A successful inoculation with a vaccine. b. Agric. Successful germination and growth of seed. c. Med. An acceptance by the body of tissue foreign to the site or to the individual.
1909in Cent. Dict. Suppl. 1914Q. Jrnl. Med. VII. 284 Revaccination on an individual who has been vaccinated many years previously usually results in what might be termed a genuine ‘take’. 1921H. Guthrie-Smith Tutira xix. 165 Between the isolated plants of the miserable ‘take’ of seed there was ample space left for the germination of undesirables. 1924Surg., Gynecol. & Obstetr. XXXVIII. 101/2 A temporary take [of grafted skin] occurred but did not thrive well. 1940R. G. Stapledon Re-grassing 21 In cases where the ‘take’ had been exceptionally good, and where there has been no immediate return of undesirable species, excessive early growth is far from disastrous. 1965Nursing Times 5 Feb. 180/1 Persistent negative nitrogen balance results in..poor graft take. 1977Lancet 13 Aug. 356/2 In studies with live vaccines patients showing serological or virological evidence of virus ‘take’ are usually compared with the placebo group and/or with vaccine recipients who show no evidence of infection.
9. a. Cinematogr. A continuous section of film photographed at one time; an instance of such filming. Also preceding a numeral to distinguish individual sections of film. (In quot. 1922 used collect.) orig. U.S.
1922Opportunities in Motion Picture Industry (Photoplay Research Soc.) 50 When the daily ‘take’ is handed in, does Mr. Director look for ‘action’; does the technical man look to see how his pet scene photographed? 1928Sunday Dispatch 2 Sept. 5/4 Notwithstanding the fact that the director knows that certain ‘takes’ are useless and need not be printed. 1937H. G. Wells Brynhild ix. 144 Very few of the players..realized that a movie take was afoot outside the marquee. 1947People 22 June 5/3 Micky and..Dave Crowley did the same fight 25 times before the final take was okayed. 1962Movie Sept. 19/1 This conversation occupies part of a long take in a medium shot which favours neither point of view. 1972Listener 22 Dec. 852/1 Sequence of calls before a shot. Production Assistant: ‘Quiet. Going for a take.’.. First Assistant: ‘245, Take 5.’ 1976H. R. F. Keating Filmi, Filmi, Inspector Ghote vi. 53 The scrawled chalk figures on the black board must indicate which scene and ‘take’ this was.
b. A sound recording; the act of making such a recording. orig. U.S.
1926Whiteman & McBride Jazz xii. 248 At 12, a rehearsal or phonograph take. 1946R. Blesh Shining Trumpets ix. 209 The results are..a tribute to the recording engineer who supervised the ‘take’. 1965Melody Maker 3 Apr. 10 Of added interest is the fact that these takes..have not been issued in Britain before. 1972Daily Tel. (Colour Suppl.) 17 Nov. 9/3 Barkworth once had a one-word voice-over: ‘Maltesers’, which required 42 takes. Listening to the playback of the tape, he got the giggles. 1977Rolling Stone 13 Jan. 48/2 Still such gems as ‘All the Way from Memphis’ and ‘All the Young Dudes’, along with a different take of ‘Roll Away the Stone’ and two previously unheard cuts,..give this absorbing group a belated last testament.
10. on the take: taking bribes; capable of being suborned. slang (orig. U.S.).
1930Liberty 29 Nov. 70/1 There are men and women ready to boost the thief's game. The steer guy finds him work, dicks on the take protect him. 1935J. O'Hara Appointment in Samarra i. 27 There was a councilman who was not on the take. Ed for some reason hadn't been about to get to him with a dime, not a dime. 1942Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §374/5 Bribable, approachable, fixable, on the take. 1956B. Holiday Lady sings Blues (1973) xxi. 169, I had heard of city cops taking plenty of money, but I never heard of a Treasury agent on the take since long before my time. 1967Boston Sunday Globe 23 Apr. 18/5 In an unguarded public moment [he]..said, ‘Half the people in Philadelphia are on the take.’ 1975Listener 16 Jan. 67/1 No matter how many Goverment departments were on the take, it was also evident that..the law enforcers themselves were bent. 1980R. L. Duncan Brimstone v. 90 ‘I'm not on the take,’ he said.
▪ III. [take
error for fake, a coil of rope.
1658in Phillips, whence in various later dicts.] |