take

Explore definitions, synonyms, and language insights of take

Definitions

Noun
the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property; "the average return was about 5%"
Noun
the act of photographing a scene or part of a scene without interruption
Verb
carry out; "take action"; "take steps"; "take vengeance"
Verb
require (time or space); "It took three hours to get to work this morning"; "This event occupied a very short time"
Verb
take somebody somewhere; "We lead him to our chief"; "can you take me to the main entrance?"; "He conducted us to the palace"
Verb
get into one''s hands, take physically; "Take a cookie!"; "Can you take this bag, please"
Verb
take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect; "His voice took on a sad tone"; "The story took a new turn"; "he adopted an air of superiority"; "She assumed strange manners"; "The gods assume human or animal form in these fables"
Verb
interpret something in a certain way; convey a particular meaning or impression; "I read this address as a satire"; "How should I take this message?"; "You can''t take credit for this!"
Verb
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere; "Bring me the box from the other room"; "Take these letters to the boss"; "This brings me to the main point"
Verb
take into one''s possession; "We are taking an orphan from Romania"; "I''ll take three salmon steaks"
Verb
travel or go by means of a certain kind of transportation, or a certain route; "He takes the bus to work"; "She takes Route 1 to Newark"
Verb
pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives; "Take any one of these cards"; "Choose a good husband for your daughter"; "She selected a pair of shoes from among the dozen the salesgirl had shown her"
Verb
receive willingly something given or offered; "The only girl who would have him was the miller''s daughter"; "I won''t have this dog in my house!"; "Please accept my present"
Verb
assume, as of positions or roles; "She took the job as director of development"; "he occupies the position of manager"; "the young prince will soon occupy the throne"
Verb
take into consideration for exemplifying purposes; "Take the case of China"; "Consider the following case"
Verb
require as useful, just, or proper; "It takes nerve to do what she did"; "success usually requires hard work"; "This job asks a lot of patience and skill"; "This position demands a lot of personal sacrifice"; "This dinner calls for a spectacular dessert"; "This intervention does not postulate a patient''s consent"
Verb
experience or feel or submit to; "Take a test"; "Take the plunge"
Verb
make a film or photograph of something; "take a scene"; "shoot a movie"
Verb
remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract; "remove a threat"; "remove a wrapper"; "Remove the dirty dishes from the table"; "take the gun from your pocket"; "This machine withdraws heat from the environment"
Verb
serve oneself to, or consume regularly; "Have another bowl of chicken soup!"; "I don''t take sugar in my coffee"
Verb
accept or undergo, often unwillingly; "We took a pay cut"
Verb
make use of or accept for some purpose; "take a risk"; "take an opportunity"
Verb
take by force; "Hitler took the Baltic Republics"; "The army took the fort on the hill"
Verb
occupy or take on; "He assumes the lotus position"; "She took her seat on the stage"; "We took our seats in the orchestra"; "She took up her position behind the tree"; "strike a pose"
Verb
admit into a group or community; "accept students for graduate study"; "We''ll have to vote on whether or not to admit a new member"
Verb
ascertain or determine by measuring, computing or take a reading from a dial; "take a pulse"; "A reading was taken of the earth''s tremors"
Verb
be a student of a certain subject; "She is reading for the bar exam"
Verb
take as an undesirable consequence of some event or state of affairs; "the accident claimed three lives"; "The hard work took its toll on her"
Verb
head into a specified direction; "The escaped convict took to the hills"; "We made for the mountains"
Verb
point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards; "Please don''t aim at your little brother!"; "He trained his gun on the burglar"; "Don''t train your camera on the women"; "Take a swipe at one''s opponent"
Verb
be seized or affected in a specified way; "take sick"; "be taken drunk"
Verb
have with oneself; have on one''s person; "She always takes an umbrella"; "I always carry money"; "She packs a gun when she goes into the mountains"
Verb
engage for service under a term of contract; "We took an apartment on a quiet street"; "Let''s rent a car"; "Shall we take a guide in Rome?"
Verb
receive or obtain regularly; "We take the Times every day"
Verb
buy, select; "I''ll take a pound of that sausage"
Verb
to get into a position of having, e.g., safety, comfort; "take shelter from the storm"
Verb
have sex with; archaic use; "He had taken this woman when she was most vulnerable"
Verb
lay claim to; as of an idea; "She took credit for the whole idea"
Verb
be designed to hold or take; "This surface will not take the dye"
Verb
be capable of holding or containing; "This box won''t take all the items"; "The flask holds one gallon"
Verb
develop a habit; "He took to visiting bars"
Verb
proceed along in a vehicle; "We drive the turnpike to work"
Verb
obtain by winning; "Winner takes all"; "He took first prize"
Verb
be stricken by an illness, fall victim to an illness; "He got AIDS"; "She came down with pneumonia"; "She took a chill"

Antonyms


More Specific Terms

ablate abstract accept admit adopt aim amputate anoint arrogate aspirate assign assume attach audit bail bail out bale out be beacon bear bear away bear off bone booze borrow bring back brush bur burl burr call back call in cancel cannibalise cannibalize carry carry away carry off carve out cast cast off catch channel charge chip away chip away at circumcise claim clean clear clear away clear off clear out clear up clutch collect compel condense conduct confiscate contemplate convey co-opt cost cream cream off crumb cry for cry out for cull out cut into cut off dally debone decalcify decarbonise decarbonize decarburise decarburize decoke decorticate defang define defuse degas dehorn de-iodinate de-ionate delete delouse delve demineralise demineralize depilate deprive descale desorb despoil determine detoxicate detoxify detusk dial dig direct disburden discharge disembowel disinvest dislodge dismantle divest do drugs draw draw a bead on draw away draw off draw out dredge drill drink drive out drop drug eat economic rent elect eliminate empanel empty enucleate epilate espouse eviscerate exact excavate excerpt exenterate exercise expectorate extirpate extort extract feed ferry fetch field fill fix flick follow foray free fuddle get down get out go govern grab gut habituate hand harvest head hit hold hollow honor honour hull husk hypophysectomise hypophysectomize imbibe impanel impart impound knock out lade laden ladle land leach lead astray level lift lift out limit loot misdirect misguide misinterpret mislead misread muck nominate offsaddle panel partake payback pick pick over pillage pit place play plump plunder pocket point practice practise prehend prepare profess propose pull pull off pull out pull up ransack ream re-assume reave recall recapture relieve rent replete repossess rescue resect reshoot retake return rifle sack sample sate satiate scale scalp scavenge scoop scoop out scoop up screen screen out seed seize sequester set set apart shake off shed shell show shuck sieve sieve out sift sight single out skim skim off smoke snaffle snap up sop up sort specify spoon steal stem stone string strip suck in suck out sup swallow swing take take away take back take in take off take on take out take over take up target taste tear away tear off test think of throw throw away throw off tip touch train transit transmit trifle try try out tube turn turn over tusk unburden undock undress unhinge unpack unsaddle unstring unveil use usher usurp vote vote in warm to wash wash away wash off wash out wear away wear off weed welcome whisk winnow wipe away wipe off withdraw