Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense partakes, present participle partaking, past tense partook, past participle partaken
1. verb
If you partakeof food or drink, you eat or drink some of it.
[formal]
They were happy to partake of our feast, but not to share our company. [VERB + of]
2. verb
If you partakein an activity, you take part in it.
[formal]
You will probably be asked about whether you partake in very vigorous sports. [VERB + in]
3. verb
If something partakesof a particular quality, it has that quality to some extent.
[formal]
Conducting is a mysterious art, but also partakes of the nature of an elemental force. [VERBof noun]
partake in British English
(pɑːˈteɪk)
verbWord forms: -takes, -taking, -took or -taken(mainly intr)
1. (foll by in)
to have a share; participate
to partake in the excitement
2. (foll by of)
to take or receive a portion, esp of food or drink
each partook of the food offered to him
3. (foll by of)
to suggest or have some of the quality (of)
music partaking of sadness
4. (transitive) archaic
to share in
▶ USAGE Partake of is sometimes wrongly used as if it were a synonym of eat or drink. Correctly, one can only partake of food or drink which is available for several people to share
Derived forms
partaker (parˈtaker)
noun
Word origin
C16: back formation from partaker, earlier part taker, based on Latin particeps participant; see part, take
to take a portion or take some; specif., to eat or drink something, esp. in company with others
usually with of
3.
to have or show a trace (of); have some of the qualities (of)
SIMILAR WORDS: share
Derived forms
partaker (parˈtaker)
noun
Word origin
back-form. < partaker, contr. of part taker, transl. of L particeps < pars, part2 + capere, to take: see have
Examples of 'partake' in a sentence
partake
We want to partake in something of beauty, of glory, to take us out and up.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Phrasal verbs
See partake in something
See partake of something
Usage note
The phrase partake of is sometimes inappropriately used as if it were a synonym of eat or drink. In strict usage, you can only partake of food or drink which is available for several people to share.