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

The editor of the local newspaper, the reporter people are familiar with, the family physician who has taken care of you and your siblings—these figures have credibility in a way that large national institutions do not. —David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025

Khelfa credits the late designer, who was also an avid collector of vintage fashion, with teaching her how to take care of clothes. —Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025

Researchers believe this has to change so that people who are pregnant can take care of themselves while also taking care of their fetuses. —Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2025

Unlike the Stranahan House, there’s no museum staff taking care of the Bryan House. —Amanda Rosa october 23, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 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