undertakeun‧der‧take /ˌʌndəˈteɪk $ -dər-/ ●●○ W3 AWL verb (past tense undertook /-ˈtʊk/, past participle undertaken /-ˈteɪkən/) [transitive] formal 
Verb Table Examples
Dr Johnson undertook the task of writing a comprehensive English dictionary.2undertake to do something to promise or agree to do something: He undertook to pay the money back in six months.► see thesaurus at promiseCOLLOCATIONSnounsundertake a task/project· Every task he undertook was tackled with great determination.undertake work· The work is being undertaken by team of experts.undertake research/a study· Students may undertake full-time supervised research leading to the award of a Ph.D.undertake a review/analysis· The Court of Appeal decided to undertake a review of the Law.undertake a journey/voyage· You should not undertake a long journey if you are unwell.undertake duties (=do things as part of your job)· I’m rarely asked to undertake teaching duties these days.phrasessomething is not to be undertaken lightly (=not to be started without serious thought, for example because it is difficult)· It was not a voyage to be undertaken lightly.
Verb TableVERB TABLE
undertake
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | undertake |
| he, she, it | undertakes | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | undertook |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have undertaken |
| he, she, it | has undertaken | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had undertaken |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will undertake |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have undertaken |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am undertaking |
| he, she, it | is undertaking | |
| you, we, they | are undertaking | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was undertaking |
| you, we, they | were undertaking | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been undertaking |
| he, she, it | has been undertaking | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been undertaking |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be undertaking |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been undertaking |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- Two new studies have been undertaken to determine the effects of the chemicals.
- Considerable research was undertaken into the original Superspec home at Colchester.
- It has also undertaken studies and simulation exercises in emergency planning.
- Members of these units are legal combatants and undertake legitimate military tasks.
- Nevertheless, it was independently undertaken, in a very matter-of-fact way, to assist a respected superior in coping.
- Strategies for reducing school size at the secondary level are simple and easily undertaken.
- There are four major initiatives a Government can undertake.
THESAURUS► promise
Collocations to tell someone that you will definitely do something, or that something will happen: · He promised to give the book back.· The organisers have promised that this year’s event will take place.
► swear to make a very serious and sincere promise, for example in a law court: · He had sworn to tell the truth.· I would never do that, I swear.
► give somebody your word especially spoken to promise sincerely that you will do something or that something is true – often used when you are trying to persuade someone that they can trust you: · I give you my word that your money is safe with me.· I’ll let you go out tonight if you give me your word that you’ll be home by 11.
► vow to make a very serious promise, often to yourself: · She vowed that she would never drink alcohol again.· They vowed to carry on their campaign for justice.
► assure to promise someone that something will happen or that something is true, in order to try to make them feel less worried: · Police have assured the public that they are doing everything they can to find the killer.
► guarantee to promise that you will make sure that something will definitely happen, so that there is no question of it not happening: · I guarantee that you will have the documents by tomorrow.· How can you guarantee that this won’t happen again?
► pledge to promise publicly or officially that you will do something, for example to give help or money: · The government has pledged to increase overseas aid to $4 billion over the next five years.
► undertake formal to make an official or legal promise to do something: · The government undertook to keep price increases to a minimum.· The two sides undertook to respect each other’s territory.
► commit to something formal to make a firm and definite promise to do something important, which will affect you for a long time and which could result in serious effects if you fail: · Bobby felt unready to commit to a romantic relationship.· A group of 11 companies has committed to developing a new passenger plane.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYnouns► undertake a task/project
Phrases· Every task he undertook was tackled with great determination.
► undertake work· The work is being undertaken by team of experts.
► undertake research/a study· Students may undertake full-time supervised research leading to the award of a Ph.D.
► undertake a review/analysis· The Court of Appeal decided to undertake a review of the Law.
► undertake a journey/voyage· You should not undertake a long journey if you are unwell.
► undertake duties (=do things as part of your job)· I’m rarely asked to undertake teaching duties these days.
phrases► something is not to be undertaken lightly (=not to be started without serious thought, for example because it is difficult)· It was not a voyage to be undertaken lightly.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► undertake research formal (=start or do research)· They are planning to undertake research into the genetic causes of the disease.
► undertake a review (=start it and carry it out)· The department plans to undertake a spending review.
► take on/undertake a task· No-one else is willing to take on the task.
► undertake work· About a three adults in ten undertake voluntary work.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB► also· Labour must also undertake to curb spiralling local government spending.· It has also undertaken studies and simulation exercises in emergency planning.· The local authority also undertakes supervision of children and this replaces the previous probation order.· Books are typeset, printed, and bound: part operations of book manufacture are also undertaken.· Students will also undertake substantial projects during this year.· Pantaenius also undertake all other forms of insurance.· The President also undertook not to veto decisions taken by the Cabinet.· These specialist firms of financial advisers will also undertake to help monitor the fortunes of your Isa.
► ever· So much bigger than anything I have ever undertaken, he wrote.· Building works are a trial, as anyone who ever undertakes them will agree.· Pompeii remains the most complete urban excavation ever undertaken.· Jenkin described the scheme, the largest of its type ever undertaken in Britain, as a research club.· This was probably the most famous and least useful dissection of a horse ever undertaken.· It was the biggest operation of its kind ever undertaken in the county.· They are the first phases in the biggest programme of clinical trials ever undertaken.· Sometimes he set the sessions, and they were quite the toughest bouts of training that I have ever undertaken.
NOUN► action· This book is a useful starting point for any small group wishing to undertake positive action.· Freud said that the urge to undertake meaningful action provides us with a sense of reality.· Your understandings about politics and your decisions about whether to undertake specific political actions are grounded in your knowledge of politics.· Both of these Republican presidents undertook aggressive antitrust actions, and both strongly supported, and expanded, federal housing programs.
► activity· At Level Two students will plan and undertake a programme of activities designed to improve their personal effectiveness.· At various points the book invites the reader to undertake activities and then to discuss the issues with a group.· Disability refers to restrictions or lack of ability to undertake activities considered normal.· There are few longitudinal studies which have published data describing changes in the ability to undertake specific adl activities over time.· Are staff given adequate training to enable them to undertake recruitment activities?· It has also undertaken many activities within the Principality including the development of Certificate of Management Studies courses in other institutions.
► analysis· In the second phase, we undertake formal analysis.· Within the framework of the scientific method, there are different ways of undertaking political analysis.· We undertook a longer-term analysis, to see what part the media played in the Conservative recovery.· In the past year the first phase of the analysis of bus passenger casualties highlighted in the 1991 Plan has been undertaken.· Clearly, it is important to consider who undertakes this analysis, how, and where it is likely to lead us.· All six companies undertake financial analysis of those companies in which they have an interest for competitive, acquisition or divestment purposes.· We are, after all, performing a descriptive and not a prescriptive exercise when we undertake discourse analysis.
► course· The Council processed registrations for 238,590 candidates for National Certificate and 15,358 for candidates undertaking traditional advanced courses.· At the moment most are undertaking computer training courses at weekends.· As part of the first- and second-year laboratory courses, all students undertake short introductory courses on computational methods.· Another group of supervisors from light manufacturing industry are undertaking a conversion course to catering supervisor.· Students who undertake the four-year sandwich course spend the third year in industrial placement.· They have undertaken an independent training course and induction programme, and are now preparing for their first meeting.
► development· They have also become more prepared to undertake their own developments.· Several of the schools are proposing to undertake joint development work with local colleges.· It will also undertake joint development work with a team of Texas engineers.
► duty· The Goldsmiths were not immediately willing to undertake the duties expected of them.· Indeed, I am rarely asked to undertake teaching duties of late.· The powers of an inspector to enable him to undertake his duties are given in Article 22.· Then you are ready to undertake duties as a fully-fledged subject assessor.· The clerical grade undertakes routine duties.· I repeat, this was a holy theft, undertaken in duty and reverence.· Formal groups were those set up by the management of an organization to undertake duties in the pursuit of organization goals.· In many districts headmen could not or would not undertake their new duties.
► exercise· Personal Interviews will often be on a one to one basis but can also be undertaken as a group exercise.· It has also undertaken studies and simulation exercises in emergency planning.· Before you undertake any form of exercise it is very important that you warm up properly.
► initiative· Facilitator to other staff to enable them to undertake initiatives..· Does he recall that he replied that he did not consider those circumstances grim enough to undertake an economic initiative for Paisley?
► investigation· At Level Two students will plan and undertake an investigation into a contemporary issue of their choice.· At the time this book was going to press, I had not yet been able to undertake further investigations.· At Level Three students will independently devise, plan and undertake an investigation into a Contemporary Issue.· A spokesman for James Bourlet said that the police would not be undertaking any further investigations.· It may be inappropriate to undertake a detailed investigation prior to opening discussions with the target.· There is now an overwhelming case for the Government to undertake an urgent investigation into simplifying the structure of the benefits system.
► number· These would be undertaken by a number of organizations.· This exploratory project examines the marketing procedure undertaken by a number of software houses.· Energy education is currently being undertaken by a number of agencies with specific expertise.· This doubt had been in my mind for some time but the research was undertaken due to a number of reasons.· It's undertaken a number of mercy missions such as to the Kurds.· The Dementia Services Development Centre undertook a number of evaluative projects and continued an active publications programme.
► operation· Any attempt by the mining company to undertake operations seems certain to run into strong opposition.· These would undertake so many operations for half a million pounds.
► programme· Students are invited to undertake a programme combining, concurrently, the traditional teaching practice with a social work placement.· At Level Two students will plan and undertake a programme of activities designed to improve their personal effectiveness.· Throughout there is an important need to undertake an effective programme of quality assurance.· Examination of the condition of the meshes in the sieve nest should always be carried out before undertaking a major sieving programme.· While many public sector organizations divide their budgets into the activity centres that they operate, they do not undertake programme budgeting.· They will investigate appropriate facilities for undertaking their programme and keep appropriate records of all activities.
► project· At the other end of the scale there are ambitious research projects undertaken for methodical demonstration purposes.· In many cases, such projects would not be undertaken without structural fund backing.· This is the only major private building project now being undertaken in Swindon.· A personal computing project is undertaken by all students during the final year.· Many courses require that some kind of placement project is undertaken by the student.· Since the latter represents the greater sacrifice it is therefore the relevant cost if the original project is undertaken.· The aim of the project is to undertake a structural and stratigraphic investigation on the basin margin.· An experimental research project is undertaken in the seventh term, usually at the students place of employment.
► research· It included assumptions about the purposes for which universities are encouraged to teach and undertake research.· These surveys are invariably undertaken by specialist research organizations, since the construction and administration of questionnaires is a highly skilled operation.· Firstly, undertaking the research represented one of the only positive steps available to respond to such an increased demand.· These skills are applied in a dissertation which provides an opportunity to undertake original research.· Nevertheless, many agrochemical companies are undertaking extensive research programmes on biological control.· Since they are mostly overseas workers undertaking taxonomic or project-based research, this is understandable.· Its aim is to undertake original research on the Northern Ireland economy and on related issues in regional economics.· The Commission also undertook extensive public research through community meetings and telephone surveys.
► responsibility· Deputy heads undertook very diverse responsibilities.· An ex-soldier took his considerable administrative skills and sold them to a school, where he undertook responsibility for all routine administration.· The astronomer royal declared himself more than willing to undertake responsibility for the work.
► review· The Board of Supervisors eventually approved the deal on the provision that United undertake a good-faith review of the law.· In 1987, Drummond & Hutton undertook a review of the economic appraisal of health technology.· The Legal Aid Board is undertaking this review.· The call comes as the National Curriculum Council undertakes a review on what schools are required to teach by law.· In 1986, the Society employed Price Waterhouse to undertake a review of its lending policies.
► search· It is often difficult to anticipate the time required to undertake a search.· Sometimes the headhunter receives a fee for that advice without even undertaking an executive search.· However, we will undertake a search and report to you at the meeting.· Users were intercepted as they approached a terminal to either catalogue and asked to undertake their searches under controlled conditions.· The contract should contain a plan to enable the buyer's conveyancer to undertake a local authority search.
► student· In this environment, many students undertake work of an interdisciplinary nature.· Each student undertakes two placements a year.· At Level Two students will plan and undertake a programme of activities designed to improve their personal effectiveness.· Some of the questions you might examine include the following: What are the most frequent political behaviors that the students undertake?· At Level Two students will plan and undertake an investigation into a contemporary issue of their choice.· Much of the instruction revolves around projects that students undertake in teams.· From May-September, each student undertakes a major practical project, individually or collaboratively.· As part of the first- and second-year laboratory courses, all students undertake short introductory courses on computational methods.
► study· I want to undertake the postgraduate study in Britain.· One man undertook his studies with uncommon diligence, laboring nights, and walked away with seven pairs.· When we undertook our study we found that the categorisation usually made of the special needs of children was insufficiently detailed.· It has also undertaken studies and simulation exercises in emergency planning.· This 1960 Act required the Surgeon General to undertake studies of the health effects of motor vehicle exhaust emissions.· Now that you have considered these empirical studies, you should be more capable of undertaking your own study.· One department uses a library mainly when undertaking a major study which requires the stimulation of a general library search.· It undertook feasibility studies to determine the usefulness of various techniques as applied to frescos and plasterwork.
► survey· They can generally undertake big surveys involving large numbers of people and they provide statistics and interpretations of them.· In addition to the lectures, part 11 participants attend two days of conferences related to archaeology and undertake a short practical survey project.· Little public attention was paid to rural poverty before Rowntree undertook a survey in 1912.· Its main object is to undertake research into survey methods and problems.· These are students who have organised themselves to undertake surveys of buildings requiring modification for full public access.
► task· Courses have an emphasis on technology and a problem-solving approach to many of the tasks undertaken.· Clearly this might not be a task that can be undertaken with any great degree of precision.· Continuous speech recognition and synthesis are additional examples of tasks neural networks are undertaking with reasonable success.· The story of Combsburgh - an imaginary place Writing a good parish history is not a task to be undertaken lightly.· Back in New York waited the usual multitude of problems to be solved and tasks to be undertaken.· The successful conclusion of this activity yields a list of tasks undertaken with details relevant to chemical selection.· Quite a variety of tasks can be undertaken, but most of them relate somehow to an ability to discern patterns.
► training· When mid-table apathy sets in, I force him to undertake a rigorous training session which I, naturally, oversee.· A series of two-seat conversions were undertaken, both for training and also to carry observers on test work.· They were, too, more likely to enjoy the actual work, for they had undertaken training to do it.· A survey in 1987 found that 52 percent of the workforce in Britain did not undertake training.· It also undertakes installation and training as well as providing software enhancements and a helpdesk.· After successfully completing this course, you would then normally have to undertake a two year training contract.· Registered health visitors must have a first level qualification in order to undertake postbasic health visitor training.· They have left behind their civilian employment and all their other commitments to undertake their basic military training.
► work· Several of the schools are proposing to undertake joint development work with local colleges.· The astronomer royal declared himself more than willing to undertake responsibility for the work.· So far John and Jenny Redwood have undertaken their aid work while still running their dairy, arable and fruit farm.· No-one forces them to undertake work which will use more energy than the food they consume can replace.· The consultant whom the client first met to discuss the assignment would be the same consultant who would undertake the work.· The company also offers an invaluable planning and advice service for people who would rather undertake to do the work themselves.· Moreover, there may well be reluctance or bad feeling when the operative or gang is obliged to undertake work without bonus.· He sustained injuries to his back and was thereafter only able to undertake light work.
VERB► require· Those enrolled for complete areas of study will be required to undertake the full assessment schedule for those areas of study.· Mangano described a complicated, time-consuming bureaucratic process that the insurance programs are required to undertake to set their reimbursement rates.· The assessment of learning outcomes related to problem solving and personal qualities requires mathematics to be undertaken in context.· This means the White House has not been required to undertake special safety precautions during the current water emergency, he said.· Many in the company, not only Laura and Bernard, were required to undertake extensive travelling.· During the sandwich year, students are placed in suitable employment and are required to undertake an industrial project.· Responsibility Work is all about responsibility: the duties and commitments which we are required to undertake during our working day.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► undertake to do something
Word family- Each country undertakes to negotiate in good faith.
- ACE/AGIT recommend that one of the governors undertakes to look after the interests of the children with special educational needs.
- At the beginning of his reign, Herod undertook to establish currency and legitimacy for himself.
- But Claire Fraser was out there and he had undertaken to find her and persuade her to come home.
- In addition, extensive research is being undertaken to improve existing lines and develop new products.
- Labour must also undertake to curb spiralling local government spending.
- The artist must undertake to act reasonably at all times if offered fair advice by his or her manager.
- The government in turn undertook to keep price increases to a minimum.
- They agreed to return to their barracks after the government undertook to pay them their January and February salaries.
WORD FAMILYnounundertakingverbundertake
1to accept that you are responsible for a piece of work, and start to do itundertake a task/a project/research/a study etc Dr Johnson undertook the task of writing a comprehensive English dictionary.2undertake to do something to promise or agree to do something: He undertook to pay the money back in six months.► see thesaurus at promiseCOLLOCATIONSnounsundertake a task/project· Every task he undertook was tackled with great determination.undertake work· The work is being undertaken by team of experts.undertake research/a study· Students may undertake full-time supervised research leading to the award of a Ph.D.undertake a review/analysis· The Court of Appeal decided to undertake a review of the Law.undertake a journey/voyage· You should not undertake a long journey if you are unwell.undertake duties (=do things as part of your job)· I’m rarely asked to undertake teaching duties these days.phrasessomething is not to be undertaken lightly (=not to be started without serious thought, for example because it is difficult)· It was not a voyage to be undertaken lightly.