1
general::
take (sth) over
[ M ] START DOING
1. to start doing a job or being responsible for something that another person did or had responsibility for before
• He took over from the previous headmaster in February.
• She took over as manager two weeks ago.
• Colin Lamb has taken over responsibility for this project., take sb back
MEMORY
2. If something takes you back, it makes you remember a period or an event
• That piece of music really took me back ( to my schooldays)., take (sth) over
[ M ] GET CONTROL
2. to get control of a company by buying most of its shares (= the equal parts into which the ownership of the company is divided)
• The company he works for has recently been taken over., take sth in
CLOTHES
4. [ M ] to make a piece of clothing narrower, by changing the position of some of the stitching joining it together
• I'll have to take this dress in at the waist - it's too big., take sb round (sth/somewhere)
to walk through a building or visit a place with someone, showing them the most interesting or important parts
• You will be taken round the museum by one of the guides., take sth back
[ M ] SOMETHING BOUGHT
1. to return something you have bought to a shop
• Is it too small? Take it back and get a refund., take sb in
[ M ] DECEIVE
2. [ often passive ] to cause someone to believe something which is not true, or to trick or deceive someone
• I can't believe she was taken in by him., take sth on
[ M ]
to accept a particular job or responsibility
• She took too much on and made herself ill., take sth away
[ M ] CALCULATE
2. to subtract a number (= remove it from another number)
• Four take away two is two.
• If you take 4 away from 12 you get 8., take sth out on sb
[ M ]
to treat someone badly because you are upset or angry, even though they have done nothing wrong
• I know you've had a bad day, but there's no need to take it out on me!, take up with sb
to become friendly or start a relationship with someone, especially someone who might have a bad influence on you
• She's taken up with a strange crowd of people., take sb in
[ M ] POLICE
3. If the police take you in, they take you to the police station
• Detectives on the murder inquiry have taken in a new suspect for questioning., take sb in
[ M ] CARE FOR
1. to take care of someone and provide a place in your home for them
• Several families take in foreign students., take sb up on sth
to accept an offer that someone has made
• Could I take you up on that offer of a lift, Rob?, take sth up
[ M ] START
2. to start doing a particular job or activity
• He's taken up the post of supervisor.
• [ + -ing verb ]: Have you ever thought of taking up acting ?
• Ian took up (= continued) the story where Sue had left off., take sth apart
[ M ]
to separate something into its different parts
• We took the engine apart to see what the problem was., take sth up
[ M ] CLOTHING
4. to shorten a piece of clothing, such as a skirt or trousers , take sth from sb
[ often passive ]
If you take words, information or ideas from another person or piece of work, you use or develop them in some way
• The plot is taken from Shakespeare., take to sb/sth
to start to like someone or something
• His wife took to her new neighbours at once.
• She's taken to tennis like a duck to water (= she likes it and is good at it)., take sth in
UNDERSTAND
1. [ M ] to understand completely the meaning or importance of something
• I had to read the letter twice before I could take it all in.
• It was an interesting exhibition, but there was too much to take in at once., take sth in
WORK
5. [ M ] to do paid work for other people, such as washing or sewing, in your home
• She supported her family by taking in laundry., take sb aback
to surprise or shock someone so much that they do not know how to behave for a short time
• I was a little taken aback at the directness of the question.
• The news really took us aback., take sb on
[ M ] EMPLOY
1. to employ someone
• She was taken on as a laboratory assistant., take sth in
WATCH
3. mainly US to go to watch a film or performance, or to visit a place such as a museum
• I thought we might get something to eat and then take in a movie., take sth away
[ M ] REMOVE
1. to remove something
• Take these chairs away - we don't need them.
• Supermarkets are taking business away from small local shops., take sth off
[ M ] NOT WORK
2. to spend time away from your work
• He took off two weeks in September., take sth up
[ M ] DISCUSS
3. to discuss something or deal with something
• The school took the matter up with the police.
• UK: I'd like to take you up on your sales figures for June.
• A leading law firm took up his case., take sb off
[ M ] UK informal
to copy the way a particular person speaks or behaves, or the way something is done, usually in order to entertain other people
• She's really good at taking people off., take sth back
[ M ] STATEMENT
2. to admit that something you said was wrong
• All right, I take it all back. It wasn't your fault., take sth out
[ M ]
to remove something from somewhere
• I've had a tooth taken out., take sb on
[ M ] FIGHT
2. to compete against or fight someone
• The Government took on the unions and won., take to somewhere
to go somewhere, usually because you are in a difficult or dangerous situation
• The refugees took to the hills for safety., take sth in
INCLUDE
2. to include something
• The new town takes in three former villages., take sb out
[ M ]
to go somewhere and do something with someone, usually something you plan and pay for
• Dad's taking the whole family out to the cinema.
• Our boss took us out for a meal., take off
FLY
1. If an aircraft, bird or insect takes off, it leaves the ground and begins to fly
• The plane took off at 8.30 a.m., take after sb
to be similar to an older member of your family in appearance or character
• He takes after his mother/his mother's side of the family., take to sth
to start doing something often
• She was so depressed she took to drink.
• [ + -ing verb ]: He's taken to staying out very late., take off
SUCCEED
2. to suddenly start to be successful or popular
• Her singing career had just begun to take off., take sth down
[ M ] REMOVE
1. to remove something that is on a wall or something that is temporary, or to remove a structure by separating its different parts
• I've taken the pictures down., take sb through sth
to explain something to someone
• I'll take you through it one more time, then you can try it yourself., take sth up
[ M ] FILL
1. to fill an amount of space or time
• This desk takes up too much room.
• Too much of this report is taken up with out-of-date figures., take sb back
PARTNER
1. [ M ] to allow a partner who previously left your home because of a disagreement or another relationship to come back to live with you
• His wife said she would never take him back., take off
LEAVE
3. informal to suddenly leave somewhere, usually without telling anyone that you are going
• When he saw me, he took off in the other direction., take sth down
[ M ] WRITE
2. to write something that another person has just said
• He took down my address and phone number and said he'd phone back., take on sth
to begin to have a particular quality
• Her voice took on a troubled tone., take sth off
[ M ] REMOVE
1. to remove something, especially clothes
• He took off his clothes and got into the bath.
• After the poisoning scare, the product was taken off the shelves/the market (= removed from sale).
Cambridge-Phrasal Verbs
5
general::
take
to move or go with someone or something from one place to another:
• Don’t forget to take your keys. • Shall I take you home? • I took Alice a cup of tea.
bring
to take someone or something to the place where you are now:
• We’ve brought someone to see you! • Will you bring your photos with you when you come?
transport
to take large quantities of goods from one place to another in a plane, train, ship etc:
• The plane is used for transporting military equipment. • The coal was transported by rail.
deliver
to take goods, letters, newspapers etc to someone’s home or office:
• Unfortunately, the package was delivered to the wrong address.
fly
to take someone or something somewhere by plane:
• The bread is specially flown in from Paris.
ship
to take goods from one place to another – this can be by ship, truck, plane, or train:
• Half the whisky is shipped to Japan and the US.
carry
to take people or goods somewhere – used especially when saying how many people or things, or what kind:
• The new plane can carry up to 600 passengers. • The ship was carrying a full cargo of oil.
lead
to take someone to a place by going in front of them:
• He led Julia through the house to his study. • Roland led the way back to the car in silence.
guide
to take someone to a place and show them the way:
• Emily guided him through a side gate into a large garden.
escort
to take someone to a place and protect or guard them:
• The prisoner was escorted into the room by two police officers. • The singer was escorted by her assistant and her bodyguard.
usher
to politely lead someone somewhere and show them where to go, especially because it is your job to do this:
• We were ushered into the lift by a man in uniform.
Longman-Thesaurus