take-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈtāk-ˌəp 

: the action of taking up

take up

2 of 2

verb

took up; taken up; taking up; takes up

transitive verb

1

: pick up, lift

took up the carpet

2

a

: to begin to occupy (land)

b

: to gather from a number of sources

took up a collection

3

a

: to accept or adopt for the purpose of assisting

b

: to accept or adopt as one's own

took up the life of a farmer

c

: to absorb or incorporate into itself

plants taking up nutrients

4

a

: to enter upon (something, such as a business, hobby, or subject of study)

take up skiing

took up the trumpet

b

: to proceed to consider or deal with

take up one problem at a time

5

: to establish oneself in

took up residence in town

6

: to occupy entirely or exclusively : fill up

the meeting was taken up with old business

7

: to make tighter or shorter

take up the slack

8

: to respond favorably to (a person offering a bet, challenge, proposal, etc.)

took me up on it

9

: to begin again or take over from another

we must take the good work up again

intransitive verb

1

: to make a beginning where another has left off

2

: to become shortened : draw together : shrink

Phrases

take up the cudgels

: to engage vigorously in a defense or dispute

take up with

1

: to become interested or absorbed in

2

: to begin to associate or consort with

Synonyms

Verb

• boost
• crane
• elevate
• heave
• heft
• heighten
• hike
• hoist
• jack (up)
• lift
• perk (up)
• pick up
• raise
• up
• uphold
• uplift
• upraise

Examples of take-up in a Sentence

Verb

please take up the blanket so I can look underneath it

the soil was so dry that the plant seemed to take up the much-needed water instantly

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Updated on November 3 with new reports into passkey adoption as alternative to MFA, with new updates to widen take-up further, resolving key challenges. —Zak Doffman, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024

The lack of diversity in the people represented by these images and the focus on cycling as leisure rather than a form of transport could be a significant factor impacting the take-up of cycling, claims Possible. —Carlton Reid, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024

Verb

The bout pits one of the greatest (and most intimidating) fighters of all time against a social media star who only took up boxing in recent years. —Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024

Unlike Amazon Prime’s two-day delivery standard, Haul orders will take up to two weeks to arrive since items ship directly from manufacturers. —Ben Kesslen, Quartz, 13 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1832, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

take-up

1 of 2 noun

ˈtā-ˌkəp

1

: a device in a sewing machine for drawing up the slack thread as the needle rises in completing a stitch

2

: a device for winding photographic film on a reel, core, or spool

take up

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)tā-ˈkəp

1

: to begin to occupy

took up their positions

2

: to begin to engage in : undertake

took up swimming

3

: to absorb or incorporate into itself

plants taking up water and minerals

4

: to pull up or in so as to tighten or to shorten

take up the slack

Medical Definition

take up

transitive verb

: to absorb or incorporate into itself

the rate at which the cells took up glucose

take-up noun

Legal Definition

take up

transitive verb

1

: to pay the amount of (as a note) : pay in full for

2

: to proceed to deal with

take up a motion