take-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈtāk-ˌəp 

: 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

see also:

take up the cudgels take up with

Synonyms of take-up

Verb

• lift
• raise
• elevate

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

Nearby projects that were launched last year also saw robust take-up rates. —Jonathan Burgos, Forbes.com, 8 Mar. 2026

Meanwhile, there are differences in side effects between the two drugs that could also have an impact on their take-up — assuming, of course, that orforglipron is approved for marketing. —Ed Silverman, STAT, 26 Feb. 2026

Verb

Members of the National Guard took up position inside the building as people were allowed to leave but not reenter. —Bridget Byrne, Baltimore Sun, 26 Apr. 2026

Members of the National Guard took up position inside the building as people were allowed to leave but not immediately reenter. —Collin Binkley, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1832, in the meaning defined above

Verb

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

Rhymes for take-up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup

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