take up

verbphrasal verb

To lift; to raise.

To pick up.transitive
To remove (a ground or floor surface, including the bed of a road or the track of a railway).transitive
To absorb (a liquid), to soak up.transitive
To shorten (a garment), especially by hemming.transitive
To tighten or wind in (a rope, slack, etc.)transitive

To set about doing or dealing with (something).

To begin doing (an activity) on a regular basis.transitive
To begin functioning in (a role or position), to assume (an office).transitive
To address or discuss (an issue).transitive
To accept, to adopt (a proposal, offer, request, cause, challenge, etc.).transitive
To accept (a proposal, offer, request, cause, challenge, etc.) from.transitive
To join in (saying something).transitive
To resume, to return to something that was interrupted.ambitransitive, transitive
To implement, to employ, to put into use.transitive
To review the solutions to a test or other assessment with a class.Canada, transitive
To begin occupying and working (a plot of uncultivated land), to break in.Australia, New Zealand, transitive
To pay off, to clear (a debt, loan, mortgage, etc.).UK, transitive

To reprove or reproach (a person).transitive
To begin to support or patronize, to sponsor (a person), to adopt as protégé.transitive

Forms

Example sentences317 results

The neighbors took turns sitting up with him.

With teaching and studying, my time is taken up.