take care

idiomatic phrase

1

: to be careful or watchful : to exercise caution or prudence

Because fish is more delicate than beef, take care when pounding it thin.

—Sam Gugino

Patients also should take care in storing their drugs because heat exposure could affect their efficacy, [Aaron] Bernstein says.

—Marlene Cimons

—often used informally to express good wishes when parting, at the end of a message, etc.

I'll see you next week. Take care!

2

: to give particular attention to doing or not doing something

When he had finished writing, Cluny pushed the parchment under his pillow, taking care to leave just a small corner of it jutting out.

—Brian Jacques

In this land of ritual, Westerners should take care to inform themselves of protocol.

—Jeff Morgan

Open oysters carefully just before they are required, taking care not to spill the liquor in their deep shells.

—Elizabeth Craig

see also take care of

Examples of take care in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Parent pro-tip: When your kids are old enough to stay home alone and take care of themselves, a whole new world opens! —Sari Hitchins, Parents, 25 Apr. 2025

After taking care of business at home, the Boston Celtics travel to the Kia Center in Central Florida with a 2-0 lead to continue their first-round NBA Playoff series against the Orlando Magic. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025

This means taking care of the whole person, not just the disease. —Michelle Riba, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2025

Without dutiful attention, these utilitarian items can quickly take your room from fab to drab, especially if not taken care of regularly. —Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for take care

• aftercare
• anywhere
• billionaire
• chinaware
• debonair
• dinnerware
• disrepair
• doctrinaire
• earthenware
• everywhere
• frigidaire
• kitchenware