You can use take followed by a noun to talk about an action or event, when it would also be possible to use the verb that is related to that noun. For example, you can say ' she took a shower ' instead of 'she showered'.

startled or disconcerted

apt and sound or cogent

If you take someone in , you allow them to stay in your house or your country , especially when they do not have anywhere to stay or are in trouble .

If you take on a job or responsibility , especially a difficult one, you accept it.

If you take to someone or something, you like them, especially after knowing them or thinking about them for only a short time.

If you take up an activity or a subject , you become interested in it and spend time doing it, either as a hobby or as a career .

If you take something away from someone, you remove it from them, so that they no longer possess it or have it with them.

If you take something back , you return it to the place where you bought it or where you borrowed it from, because it is unsuitable or broken , or because you have finished with it.

If you take something down , you reach up and get it from a high place such as a shelf .

to consider or suppose to be, esp mistakenly

When an aeroplane takes off , it leaves the ground and starts flying .

If you take something out , you remove it permanently from its place.

If you take over a company , you get control of it, for example by buying its shares .

If you are taken aback by something, you are surprised or shocked by it and you cannot respond at once.

having a sudden need to urinate or defecate

to astonish or disconcert

If you take after a member of your family, you resemble them in your appearance, your behaviour, or your character.

If you take something apart , you separate it into the different parts that it is made of.

If you take against someone or something, you develop a dislike for them, often for no good reason.

If you take someone up on their offer or invitation , you accept it.

If you fall ill or are taken ill , you suddenly become ill.

If you take something out on someone, you behave in an unpleasant way towards them because you feel angry or upset , even though this is not their fault.

You say that someone has taken up with someone unsuitable when they have begun a sexual or friendly relationship with them, and you disapprove of this.

If you say that someone has been taken for a ride , you mean that they have been deceived or cheated .

If you say that something requires give and take , you mean that people must compromise or co-operate for it to be successful .

If something takes away from an achievement , success , or quality, or takes something away from it, it makes it seem lower in value or worth than it should be.

If you are caught short or are taken short , you feel a sudden strong need to urinate , especially when you cannot easily find a toilet .

If you take out insurance , you purchase coverage from an insurance company .

The roots of a plant are the parts of it that grow under the ground.

If you say that someone seems to have taken leave of their senses , you mean that they have done or said something very foolish.

If you say that someone should be brought down a peg or be taken down a peg , you mean that they should be made to realize that they are not so important or wonderful as they think they are.

( holiday, vacation ) 度 dù ( shower, bath ) 洗 xǐ ( decision ) 做 zuò

大吃一惊(驚) dà chī yī jīng

被绑(綁)架/扣押做人质(質) bèi bǎngjià/kòuyā zuò rénzhì

"切勿内(內)服" "qièwù nèifú"

( deceive : person ) 蒙(矇)骗(騙) mēngpiàn ⇒ I wasn't going to be taken in by his charm. → 我不会被他的魅力所蒙骗。 Wǒ bùhuì bèi tā de mèilì suǒ mēngpiàn.

( aircraft ) 起飞(飛) qǐfēi

( undertake : work, responsibility ) 承担(擔) chéngdān ⇒ Don't take on any more responsibilities. → 不要再承担更多的责任了。 Bùyào zài chéngdān gèng duō de zérèn le.

( invite : person ) 邀请(請) yāoqǐng ⇒ He took her out for a meal. → 他邀请她出去吃饭。 Tā yāoqǐng tā chūqù chīfàn.

( like ) 喜欢(歡)上 xǐhuan shang ⇒ I immediately took to Alan. → 我立刻喜欢上了艾伦。 Wǒ lìkè xǐhuan shang le Àilún.

( start : hobby, sport ) 开(開)始 kāishǐ

( attracted to ) 被某人/某事迷住 bèi mǒurén/mǒushì mízhù

生病 shēngbìng

( resemble ) 像 xiàng ⇒ He takes after his dad. → 他像他的爸爸。 Tā xiàng tā de bàba.

( dismantle : bicycle, radio, machine ) 拆开(開) chāikāi

( remove ) 拿走 názǒu

( return : goods ) 退回 tuìhuí

( write down ) 记(記)录(錄) jìlù

( business, country ) 接管 jiēguǎn

这(這)个(個)孩子被送入福利院抚(撫)养(養) zhège háizi bèi sòngrù fúlìyuàn fǔyǎng

她还(還)没(沒)考驾(駕)照 tā hái méi kǎo jiàzhào.

▶ to take one's anger/feelings out on sb 向某人发(發)泄(洩)怒气(氣)/情感 xiàng mǒurén fāxiè nùqì/qínggǎn

grip, grab, seize, catch, grasp

surprised, thrown, shocked, stunned, confused

get upset, get excited, make a fuss, break down, give way

lift off, leave the ground, take to the air, become airborne

surprise, stun, astonish, floor, stagger

let in, receive, admit, board, welcome

compete against, face, contend with, fight, oppose

like, get on with, warm to, be taken with, be pleased by

resemble, be like, be similar to, look like, favour

be reconciled with, forgive, pardon, welcome someone back, accept someone back

parody, imitate, mimic, mock, ridicule

escort, accompany, go out with

understand, absorb, grasp, digest, comprehend

remove, discard, strip off, drop, peel off

accept, tackle, undertake, shoulder, have a go at

extract, remove, pull out, draw, yank out

start, begin, engage in, assume, adopt

start, resort to, make a habit of, have recourse to

go away, withdraw, depart, retire, exit

dismantle, break up, pull apart, disassemble, pull or take to pieces or bits

subtract, deduct, take something off

return, bring back, send back, hand back

remove, take off, extract

gain control of, take command of, assume control of, come to power in, become leader of

become friendly with, get involved with, start seeing, fall in with, go around with

regard as, see as, believe to be, consider to be, think of as

take a dislike to, feel hostile to, view with disfavour, look askance on, become unfriendly towards

attack, pan, condemn, slam, savage