Definition

1. Verb:
   • To begin or start something new: To adopt or engage in a new activity, hobby, study, or job.
   • To occupy or fill space or time: To use or consume an amount of space, time, or attention.
   • To lift or raise something: To physically pick up or raise an object.
   • To shorten a garment: To make a piece of clothing shorter by folding and sewing the fabric at the bottom.
   • To resume or continue something: To start something again after a pause or interruption.
   • To accept an offer or challenge: To agree to or accept something that is offered or proposed.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • She decided to take up painting as a hobby. (She began the activity of painting.)
  • This sofa takes up too much space in the room. (The sofa occupies/consumes a lot of room.)
  • Please take up that book from the floor. (Please pick up that book.)
  • I need to take up these trousers; they are too long. (I need to shorten these trousers.)
  • Let's take up the discussion where we left off. (Let's resume the discussion.)
  • He took up the challenge to run a marathon. (He accepted the challenge.)

Advanced Usage

• "to take up the slack": To tighten or use something that is loose; to improve efficiency or use idle resources.
  • We hired a new team member to take up the slack in the busy department.
• "to take up arms": To prepare to fight, especially for a cause.
  • The citizens were forced to take up arms to defend their city.
• "to take up residence": To begin living in a place.
  • The ambassador took up residence in the capital.

Variants and Related Words

• Take-up (noun): The rate at which people accept or start using something offered.
  • The take-up for the new training program was very high.
• Undertake (verb): To commit oneself to and begin (an enterprise or responsibility).
  • She will undertake the management of the project.

Synonyms

• Begin: To start.
• Occupy: To fill or use.
• Lift: To raise.
• Shorten: To make shorter.
• Resume: To begin again.
• Accept: To agree to receive.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Take up on: To accept an offer or invitation.
  • I'll take you up on that offer of help.
• Take up with: To become friendly or involved with someone (often disapprovingly).
  • He's taken up with a strange group of people.

Related Idioms

• Take up the gauntlet: To accept a challenge.
  • She took up the gauntlet and decided to compete.
• Take up the cudgels for: To defend or support a person or cause vigorously.
  • He always takes up the cudgels for the underdog.

Verb

1. return to a previous location or condition
   • The painting resumed its old condition when we restored it
2. take up as if with a sponge
3. take in, also metaphorically
   • The sponge absorbs water well
   • She drew strength from the minister's words
4. accept
   • The cloth takes up the liquid
5. take out or up with or as if with a scoop
   • scoop the sugar out of the container
6. take up a liquid or a gas either by adsorption or by absorption
7. occupy or take on
   • He assumes the lotus position
   • She took her seat on the stage
   • We took our seats in the orchestra
   • She took up her position behind the tree
   • strike a pose
8. take up and practice as one's own
9. begin work or acting in a certain capacity, office or job
   • Take up a position
   • start a new job
10. take up time or space
    • take up the slack
11. turn one's interest to
    • He took up herpetology at the age of fifty
12. adopt
    • take up new ideas
13. pursue or resume
    • take up a matter for consideration