take-onn.
/ˈteɪkɒn/, U.S. /ˈteɪkˌɔn/, /ˈteɪkˌɑn/ British colloquial. Now somewhat archaic.
A fuss, a commotion, a ‘carry-on’, a ‘to-do’. In early use also: †a state of agitation or excitement (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > excitement > [noun] > a state of excitement
heydayc1590
furor1704
feveret1712
kippage1808
raptus1845
take-on1893
gale1894
excitedness1934
up1966
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > confusion or disorder > commotion, disturbance, or disorder > [noun] > instance of
viretotec1386
moving?a1439
reela1450
stir1487
songa1500
pirrie1536
hurly-burly1548
make-a-do1575
confusions1599
the hunt is upa1625
ruffle1642
fuss1701
fraction1721
fizza1734
dust1753
noration1773
steeriea1776
splorea1791
rook1808
piece of work1810
curfuffle1813
squall1813
rookerya1820
stushie1824
shindy1829
shine1832
hurroosh1836
fustle1839
upsetting1847
shinty1848
ructions1862
vex1862
houp-la1870
set-out1875
hoodoo1876
tingle-tangle1880
shemozzle1885
take-on1893
dust-up1897
hoo-ha1931
tra-la-la1933
gefuffle1943
tzimmes1945
kerfuffle1946
1893 S. Baring-Gould in Cornhill Mag. June 566 The governor is in a dreadful take on about you.
1893 Cornhill Mag. Nov. 511 She puts her withered old arms round the girl's neck, and kisses her and cries over her for happiness. ‘What a take on to be sure!’ says Tilly.
1900 S. Baring-Gould In Quiet Village 225 There's Tony Graves; his mother be here in a terrible take-on.
1910 London Jrnl. 23 Apr. 611/1 'Enery gave an uneasy laugh. ‘Lor, what a take-on about nothink, to be sure.’
?1974 R. Galton & A. Simpson Best of Steptoe & Son (1989) 173 He's got tights on. What a take-on.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1893