take-up

1 of 2

noun

: 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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The latest figures on Windows 11 conversions—which are at least accelerating—and $30 support take-ups will determine the size of the problem and might then dictate the acuteness of any solution. Zak Doffman, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 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
Verb
The case was put on hold as the Supreme Court then took up the matter. Robert Legare, CBS News, 26 Nov. 2024 Instead of having a random half cup of this and that taking up space in your fridge and eventually going bad, everything goes into the baking dish. Josh Miller, Southern Living, 26 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for take-up 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1832, in the meaning defined above

Verb

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of take-up was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near take-up

Cite this Entry

“Take-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take-up. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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