Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To remove something from a place or person: The core meaning is to physically or abstractly remove something, causing it to be no longer present in its original location or state.
   • To subtract or diminish: To reduce the amount, value, or quality of something by removing a part of it.
   • To buy prepared food from a restaurant for consumption elsewhere: To purchase cooked food from an establishment to eat at home or another location.

Examples of Usage

• Verb (Remove):
  • Please take away the empty plates. (Physically removes the plates from the table.)
  • The police took the suspect away. (Removes the person from the scene.)
  • The new law takes away some individual freedoms. (Abstractly removes rights.)
• Verb (Subtract/Diminish):
  • If you take away five from ten, you get five. (Performs a mathematical subtraction.)
  • The loud noise takes away from the beauty of the music. (Diminishes the quality of the experience.)
• Verb (Buy Food):
  • Let's take away some Chinese food for dinner. (Buy prepared food to eat at home.)
  • Is this for here or take away? (A common question asking if the customer will eat in the restaurant or take the food elsewhere.)

Advanced Usage

• "To take away from something": To lessen the value, importance, or quality of something.
  • The actor's poor accent took away from an otherwise excellent performance.
• "To take it away": An informal phrase used to give someone permission to begin, especially a performance. (Often used by a host introducing a speaker or musician).
  • And now, please welcome our next band. Take it away, guys!

Variants and Related Words

• Takeaway (Noun - British English): 1) A key point or lesson to be learned from something. 2) Food bought from a restaurant to be eaten elsewhere.
  • The main takeaway from the lecture was the importance of planning.
  • I'm going to get a takeaway tonight.
• Takeout (Noun - primarily North American English): Food bought from a restaurant to be eaten elsewhere.
  • We ordered takeout from the Italian restaurant.

Synonyms

• Remove: To take something off or away from a position.
• Subtract: To take away (a number or amount) from another to calculate the difference.
• Deprive: To take something away from someone, especially something needed or wanted.
• Carry off: To take something or someone away by force.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Take out: Very similar to "take away," especially for food or for removing something abstract. Can also mean to go somewhere with someone.
  • I took out the garbage. (Removed it.)
  • He took her out for dinner. (Accompanied her to a restaurant.)
• Take off: To remove something (like clothing) or for an aircraft to leave the ground.
  • Take off your shoes before entering.
• Take back: To retract a statement or to return something to a place.
  • I take back what I said about him.

Related Idioms

• To take someone's breath away: To astonish or amaze someone.
  • The view from the mountain took my breath away.
• To take the wind out of someone's sails: To discourage someone by saying or doing something unexpected.
  • Her critical comment really took the wind out of his sails.

Verb

1. take away a part from; diminish
   • His bad manners detract from his good character
2. get rid of something abstract
   • The death of her mother removed the last obstacle to their marriage
   • God takes away your sins
3. buy and consume food from a restaurant or establishment that sells prepared food
   • We'll take out pizza, since I am too tired to cook
4. take from a person or place
   • We took the abused child away from its parents
5. take out or remove
   • take out the chicken after adding the vegetables
6. 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
7. remove from a certain place, environment, or mental or emotional state; transport into a new location or state
   • Their dreams carried the Romantics away into distant lands
   • The car carried us off to the meeting
   • I'll take you away on a holiday
   • I got carried away when I saw the dead man and I started to cry