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
Noun
The outlook for Tesla is far less certain, given Chinese competition and the apparent slowdown in take-up of EVs in the United States and Europe. Anna Cooban, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 With range anxiety a major factor slowing down the take-up of EVs, that’s likely to continue: As a rule, the larger the battery the greater the range. Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 11 Feb. 2024 Microsoft saw a revenue boost of 13% thanks to 29% growth in its Azure cloud operation, which was in turn driven by enthusiastic take-up of the AI features that Microsoft—via its sponsorship of OpenAI—is integrating into its services. David Meyer, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2023 For instance, using female role models in advertisements for a female-only software coding bootcamp increased the take-up rate in Latin America. Kelly Nault, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2023 The study notes that there was a slowing in the take-up of SVOD services like Netflix and Disney+, and there are indications that viewing declined in 2022, along with most other forms of viewing as total viewing fell. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Aug. 2023 Yet take-up of the newest COVID boosters, which target the BA.4 and BA.5 variants that dominated last year, is slow: Only 17% of the U.S. have gotten the booster, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 20 June 2023 At the 10% take-up rate, projected spending on this one drug alone would exceed spending on the top 10 Part B drugs in 2021 and would represent close to half of the total $40 billion spent on the 600+ Part B covered drugs in 2021. Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 1 June 2023 Funding markets had been showing signs of stress, though pressures have subsided with the take-up of emergency measures. Craig Torres, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2023
Verb
Originally commissioned in 2020 by Georgetown (where Simon is an assistant professor of composition), and supported by the university’s Committee for Slavery, Memory and Reconciliation, the cycle takes up the story of the 272 enslaved people sold by the university in 1838 to pay its debts. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 However, since a major renovation on the property delayed his moving in, Flagg took up residence in a luxurious six-bedroom, seven-bathroom home in Bel Air. Erin Clements, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 Washington — House Democrats are trying to force a floor vote on a bipartisan Senate bill that would provide aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, since House Republican leaders have been resisting pressure to take up the legislation. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2024 Festering tapeworm eggs were discovered to have taken up residence in his head after physicians conducted a CT scan to obtain a detailed image of the 52-year-old man's brain. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2024 Withdrawals are processed in an average of 1 day using Bitcoin and Interac, while other options might take up to 4-5 business days. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Moment currently is taking up to 50 percent off various cameras, accessories, bags, and other goods as part of its Annual Spring Sale. Sheena Vasani, The Verge, 9 Mar. 2024 The rectangular wooden table set takes up minimal space and features high-quality construction. Samantha McIntyre, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024 His analysis of movies was so perceptive that at least one Hollywood screenwriter, after reading blog posts about his own films, thought Dr. Bordwell had taken up residence in his brain. Michael S. Rosenwald, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'take-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 19 Mar. 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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