I Takes Taking Somebody/Something Place Sit Time Teɪk

• i forgot to take my bag with me when i got off the bus.
• take this to the bank for me, would you?
• shall i take a gift to my host family?
• shall i take my host family a gift?

take

1. to carry or move something from one place to another
• I forgot to take my bag with me when I got off the bus.
• Take this to the bank for me, would you?
• Shall I take a gift to my host family?
• Shall I take my host family a gift?
2. to go with somebody from one place to another, especially to guide or lead them
• It's too far to walk—I'll take you by car.
• A boy took us to our room.
• I'm taking the kids swimming later.
• The boys were taken to see their grandparents most weekends.
• It’s too far to walk—I’ll take you by car.
• Firefighters led the survivors to safety.
• The president arrived, escorted by twelve bodyguards.
• My mother drove us to the airport.
• The attendant showed us to our seats.
• He always walked her home.
• Have you walked the dog yet today?
• She guided us through the busy streets.
• We were guided around the museums.
• She ushered her guests to their seats.
• A young woman directed them to the station.
3. to make somebody/something go from one level, situation, etc. to another
• Her energy and talent took her to the top of her profession.
• The new loan takes the total debt to $100 000.
• I'd like to take my argument a stage further.
• He believes he has the skills to take the club forward.
• We'll take the matter forward at our next meeting (= discuss it further).
4. to put your hands or arms around somebody/something and hold them/it; to reach for somebody/something and hold them/it
• I passed him the rope and he took it.
• Free newspapers: please take one.
• Can you take (= hold) the baby for a moment?
• He took her hand/took her by the hand (= held her hand, for example to lead her somewhere).
• She took the child in her arms and kissed him.
5. to remove something/somebody from a place or a person
• Will you take your books off the table?
• The sign must be taken down.
• He took some keys out of his pocket.
• My name had been taken off the list.
• She was playing with a knife, so I took it away from her.
• She was playing with a knife, so I took it off her.
• The new sports centre will take the pressure off the old one.
6. to remove something without permission or by mistake
• Someone has taken my scarf.
• Did the burglars take anything valuable?
• The storms took the lives of 50 people.
7. to get something from a particular source
• The scientists are taking water samples from the river.
• The machine takes its name from its inventor.
• Part of her article is taken straight (= copied) out of my book.
8. to capture a place or person; to get control of something
• The rebels succeeded in taking the town.
• The state has taken control of the company.
• The rebels took him prisoner.
• He was taken prisoner by the rebels.
9. to choose, buy or rent something
• I'll take the grey jacket.
• We took a room at the hotel for two nights.
10. to buy a newspaper or magazine regularly
• We take the ‘Express’.
11. to eat, drink, etc. something
• Do you take sugar in your coffee?
• The doctor has given me some medicine to take for my cough.
• He started taking drugs (= illegal drugs) at college.
12. to reduce one number by the value of another
• synonym subtract
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/subtract
• Take 5 from 12 and you're left with 7.
• 80 take away 5 is 75.
13. to find out and record something; to write something down
• The police officer took my name and address.
• Did you take notes in the class?
14. to photograph somebody/something
• to take a photograph/picture/snapshot of somebody/something
• to have your picture/photo taken
15. to test or measure something
• to take somebody’s temperature
• I need to have my blood pressure taken.
16. to sit down in or use a chair, etc.
• Are these seats taken?
• Come in; take a seat.
• May I sit here?
• Sit still, will you!
• We sat talking for hours.
• Please sit down.
• Come in and sit yourselves down.
• She was seated at the head of the table.
• Please be seated.
• Please take a seat.
• She perched herself on the edge of the bed.
17. used to introduce somebody/something as an example
• Lots of couples have problems in the first year of marriage. Take Ann and Paul.
18. to accept or receive something
• If they offer me the job, I'll take it.
• She was accused of taking bribes.
• Does the hotel take credit cards?
• I'll take the call in my office.
• Why should I take the blame for somebody else's mistakes?
• If you take my advice you'll have nothing more to do with him.
• Will you take $10 for the book (= will you sell it for $10)?
• The store took (= sold goods worth) $100 000 last week.
19. to accept somebody as a customer, patient, etc.
• The school doesn't take boys (= only has girls).
• The dentist can't take any new patients.
20. to experience or be affected by something
• The school took the full force of the explosion.
• Can the ropes take the strain (= not break)?
• The team took a terrible beating.
21. to be able to bear something
• She can't take criticism.
• I don't think I can take much more of this heat.
• I find his attitude a little hard to take.
22. to react to something/somebody in a particular way
• He took the criticism surprisingly well.
• These threats are not to be taken lightly.
• I wish you'd take me seriously.
• She took it in the spirit in which it was intended.
23. to understand or consider something in a particular way
• She took what he said as a compliment.
• How am I supposed to take that remark?
• Taken overall, the project was a success.
• What did you take his comments to mean?
24. to consider somebody/something to be somebody/something, especially when you are wrong
• Even the experts took the painting for a genuine Van Gogh.
• Of course I didn't do it! What do you take me for (= what sort of person do you think I am)?
• I took the man with him to be his father.
25. to have a particular feeling, opinion or attitude
• My parents always took an interest in my hobbies.
• Don't take offence (= be offended) at what I said.
• I took a dislike to him.
• He takes the view that children are responsible for their own actions.
26. to use a particular course of action in order to deal with or achieve something
• The government is taking action to combat drug abuse.
• We need to take a different approach to the problem.
27. used with nouns to say that somebody is doing something, performing an action, etc.
• to take a step/walk/stroll
• to take a bath/shower/wash
• to take a look/glance
• to take a bite/drink/sip
• to take a deep breath
• to take a break/rest
• No decision will be taken on the matter until next week.
28. to have a particular form, position or state
• Our next class will take the form of a debate.
• The new President takes office in January.
29. to need or require a particular amount of time
• The journey to the airport takes about half an hour.
• It takes about half an hour to get to the airport.
• That cut is taking a long time to heal.
• The official seemed to take hours to examine my passport.
• It took her three hours to repair her bike.
• It'll take her time to recover from the illness.
• It'll take time (= take a long time) for her to recover from the illness.
• I need a shower—I won't take long.
• How long do you think this storm will last?
• The movie lasted over two hours.
• His annoyance won’t last.
• We don’t have enough money to last until next month.
• It takes (me) at least an hour to get home from work.
• How long will the flight take?
• The water took ages to boil.
30. to need or require something in order to happen or be done
• It only takes one careless driver to cause an accident.
• It doesn't take much to make her angry.
• He didn't take much persuading (= he was easily persuaded).
31. to use something in order to work
• All new cars take unleaded petrol.
32. to wear a particular size in shoes or clothes
• What size shoes do you take?
33. to have enough space for something/somebody; to be able to hold or contain a particular quantity
• The bus can take 60 passengers.
• The tank takes 50 litres.
34. to be the teacher or leader in a class or a religious service
• See related entries: Teaching and learning
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/topic/teaching_and_learning/take_2
• The head teacher usually takes us for French.
• Mr Perkins took the morning service.
35. to study a subject at school, college, etc.
• See related entries: Teaching and learning
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/topic/teaching_and_learning/take_2
• She is planning to take a computer course.
• How many subjects are you taking this year?
36. to do an exam or a test
• See related entries: Exams and assessment
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/topic/exams_and_assessment/take_1
• When did you take your driving test?
37. to use a form of transport, a road, a path, etc. to go to a place
• See related entries: Train and bus travel
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/topic/train_and_bus_travel/take_3
• to take the bus/plane/train
• to take a cab
• Take the second road on the right.
• It's more interesting to take the coast road.
38. to go over or around something
• The horse took the first fence well.
• He takes bends much too fast.
39. to kick or throw the ball from a fixed or agreed position
• to take a penalty/free kick/corner
40. to use a particular method to find out people’s opinions
• to take a vote/poll/survey
41. to be successful; to work
• The skin graft failed to take.
42. to have or require something when used in a sentence or other structure
• The verb ‘rely’ takes the preposition ‘on’.
43. used to say that you do not care if somebody accepts or rejects your offer
44. used to say that somebody does not have a strong opinion about something
• Dancing? I can take it or leave it.
45. to have the qualities, ability, etc. needed to be successful
46. used to say that you cannot trust somebody to behave well in public
• You haven’t spilled your coffee again! I can’t take you anywhere!
47. to accept something/somebody without wishing it/them to be different or without thinking about it/them very much in advance
• She takes life as it comes.
48. to suppose; to assume
• I take it you won't be coming to the party?
49. to make somebody physically or mentally tired
• Taking care of small children really takes it out of you.
50. used to emphasize that what you are going to say is the truth
• Take it from me—he'll be a millionaire before he's 30.
51. to decide to do something without asking permission or advice
52. to need a lot of effort or time; to be very difficult to do
53. used as an exclamation when you are hitting somebody or attacking them in some other way

Extra Examples

• Harry took his rejection philosophically.
• He took what I said as a criticism.
• I wanted to be taken seriously as an artist.
• She took the news of her father’s death very badly.
• They won’t take kindly to being ordered about.
• 28 take away 5 is 23.
• A military junta took control of the country.
• All she had taken was her passport and driving licence.
• Can you take the baby for a moment?
• England failed to take their chances and had to settle for a draw.
• Even the experts took the painting to be a genuine Van Gogh.
• He started taking drugs at college.
• He took her hand/took her by the hand.
• He took the bend much too fast.
• He’s not the fool you take him for.
• I asked them if they’d take me with them.
• I don’t think I can take much more of this heat.
• I find his attitude a little hard to take.
• I mistakenly took her for the Senator’s wife.
• I need a shower—I won’t take long.
• I wish you’d take me seriously.
• I’ll take the call in my office.
• I’ll take the grey jacket.
• I’m afraid your husband has taken a turn for the worse.
• I’m taking the kids swimming later.
• If they offer me the job, I’ll take it.
• If you choose deceit, then you must take the consequences of your actions.
• If you take my advice you’ll have nothing more to do with him.
• It takes about half an hour to get to the airport.
• It was clear that she wasn’t going to take any nonsense.
• It’ll take her time to recover from the illness.
• It’s too far to walk—I’ll take you by car.
• My things had already been taken to my room.
• Of course I didn’t do it! What do you take me for?
• Part of her article is taken straight out of my book.
• Please remember to take all your belongings with you when you leave the bus.
• She can’t take criticism.
• She took her bags along with her.
• She’s taken a nasty fall and has her leg in plaster.
• Should I take him a gift?
• Take 5 from 12 and you’re left with 7.
• Take the initiative and fill your life with exciting experiences.
• The bank robbers took several employees hostage.
• The boy took us to our rooms.
• The dentist can’t take any new patients.
• The horse took the jump safely but then stumbled.
• The school doesn’t take boys.
• The store took $100 000 last week.
• They took the night train to Vienna.
• They were taken to see their grandparents most weekends.
• Think about what you need to take for the trip.
• We took a bus south to Cairo.
• We took a ferry across to the island.
• When the bus stopped for fuel, we took the opportunity to get something to eat.
• Why should I take the blame for somebody else’s mistakes?
• Will you take $10 for the book?
• You fly to Brussels and take the train to Bruges.
• You should take her home soon.
• You’ll have to take a taxi. There’s no other way of getting there.
• take a cheque/credit card/£50 note
• take a job
• take a particular amount of money for something

Verb Forms

• present simple I / you / we / they take
• he / she / it takes
• past simple took
• past participle taken
• -ing form taking

Word Origin

• late Old English tacan ‘get (especially by force), capture’, from Old Norse taka ‘grasp, lay hold of’, of unknown ultimate origin.