TAKE ON

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does take on mean? 

• TAKE ON (verb)
  The verb TAKE ON has 5 senses:

1. take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect

2. take on titles, offices, duties, responsibilities

3. accept as a challenge

4. admit into a group or community

5. contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle

  Familiarity information: TAKE ON used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TAKE ON (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

acquire; adopt; assume; take; take on

Context example:

The gods assume human or animal form in these fables

Hypernyms (to "take on" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "take on"):

re-assume (take on again, as after a time lapse)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Take on titles, offices, duties, responsibilities

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

adopt; assume; take on; take over

Context example:

When will the new President assume office?

Hypernyms (to "take on" is one way to...):

take office (assume an office, duty, or title)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "take on"):

resume (assume anew)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Accept as a challenge

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

tackle; take on; undertake

Context example:

I'll tackle this difficult task

Hypernyms (to "take on" is one way to...):

confront; face; face up (deal with (something unpleasant) head on)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "take on"):

rise (exert oneself to meet a challenge)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Admit into a group or community

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

accept; admit; take; take on

Context example:

We'll have to vote on whether or not to admit a new member

Hypernyms (to "take on" is one way to...):

accept; have; take (receive willingly something given or offered)

Verb group:

admit; include; let in (allow participation in or the right to be part of; permit to exercise the rights, functions, and responsibilities of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "take on"):

profess (receive into a religious order or congregation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot take on Sue

Sense 5

Meaning:

Contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

encounter; meet; play; take on

Context example:

Charlie likes to play Mary

"Take on" entails doing...:

compete; contend; vie (compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others)

Verb group:

play (participate in games or sport)

play (employ in a game or in a specific position)

play (use or move)

play (shoot or hit in a particular manner)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "take on"):

confront; face (oppose, as in hostility or a competition)

replay (repeat a game against the same opponent)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

 Context examples 

When the material is cooled, the polymers take on water and expand, and the gold nanoparticles are strongly and quickly pushed apart, like a spring.

(Colour-changing artificial ‘chameleon skin’ powered by nanomachines, University of Cambridge)

Human pluripotent stem cells are adult cells that have been genetically reprogrammed to take on the characteristics of embryonic stem cells.

(Developing Insulin-Producing Cells to Treat Diabetes, NIH)

Change is in the air, and it appears you are ready to take on more responsibility.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

“Don't you take on, sir,” he said, shaking the squire's hand.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

You see, Oz is a Great Wizard, and can take on any form he wishes.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

If I could, I would take on myself the burden that you do bear.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Two drugs already on the market — an antifungal and a steroid — may potentially take on new roles as treatments for multiple sclerosis.

(Drugs that activate brain stem cells may reverse multiple sclerosis, NIH)

The different sections or regions of the spine — like the neck, thorax and lower back — take on very different shapes.

(What makes a mammal a mammal? Our spine, say scientists, National Science Foundation)

Spiral galaxies throughout the Universe take on all manner of orientations with respect to Earth.

(A Galaxy on the Edge, ESO)

Depending on how these "doughnuts" are oriented in space, the black holes will take on various appearances.

(NASA's WISE findings poke hole in black hole 'Doughnut' theory, NASA)