take up

English

Noun

take up (plural take-ups)

1. (machinery) That which takes up or tightens; specifically, a device in a sewing machine for drawing up the slack thread as the needle rises, in completing a stitch.

Alternative forms

• take-up

Translations

machinery: that which takes up or tightens

Verb

take up

1. (transitive) To pick up.
   • 1600, The Bible (Authorised Version), Mark 2:11:

     I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

   The reel automatically took up the slack.

   • 1865, Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

     Alice took up the fan and gloves, and, as the hall was very hot, she kept fanning herself all the time she went on talking.

2. (transitive) To begin doing (an activity) on a regular basis.

   I've taken up knitting.

   I wish to take up mathematics.

   • 2004, Jane Powell, Linda Svendsen, Bungalow: The Ultimate Arts & Crafts Home, page 44:

     Each of the things he took up, he took up with passion and intensity

3. (transitive) To address (an issue).

   Let's take this up with the manager.

4. (transitive) To occupy; to consume (space or time).

   The books on finance take up three shelves.

   All my time is taken up with looking after the kids.

5. (transitive, sewing) To shorten by hemming.

   If we take up the sleeves a bit, that shirt will look much better on you.

6. (transitive, with on) To accept (a proposal, offer, request, etc.) from.

   Shall we take them up on their offer to help us move?

7. (intransitive) to resume

   let's take up where we left off

8. To implement, to employ, to put into use.
   • 2008, BBC News, Iolo ap Dafydd Wood homes 'solution' to shortage

     "So I'd imagine if they were to take up this system, or a similar system, we should be able to build quicker."

Derived terms

• take up with

Translations

to pick up

to begin doing (an activity) on a regular basis

to address (an issue)

to occupy, to consume (space or time)

to shorten by hemming

to accept (a proposal, offer, request, etc.) from

• Russian: принять (ru) (prinjátʼ) n

to resume

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

• Dutch: oppakken (nl)

Anagrams

• uptake