TAKE ON
Dictionary entry overview: What does take on mean?
• TAKE ON (verb)
The verb TAKE ON has 5 senses:
1. take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect
2. take on titles, offices, duties, responsibilities
3. accept as a challenge
4. admit into a group or community
5. contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle
Familiarity information: TAKE ON used as a verb is common.
Dictionary entry details
• TAKE ON (verb)
Meaning:
Take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
take on; acquire; assume; adopt; take
Context examples:
His voice took on a sad tone / The story took a new turn / he adopted an air of superiority / She assumed strange manners / The gods assume human or animal form in these fables
Hypernyms (to "take on" is one way to...):
change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "take on"):
re-assume (take on again, as after a time lapse)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Take on titles, offices, duties, responsibilities
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
assume; take on; take over; adopt
Context example:
When will the new President assume office?
Hypernyms (to "take on" is one way to...):
take office (assume an office, duty, or title)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "take on"):
resume (assume anew)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Accept as a challenge
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
tackle; undertake; take on
Context example:
I'll tackle this difficult task
Hypernyms (to "take on" is one way to...):
confront; face; face up (deal with (something unpleasant) head on)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "take on"):
rise (exert oneself to meet a challenge)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Admit into a group or community
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
take on; admit; accept; take
Context examples:
accept students for graduate study / We'll have to vote on whether or not to admit a new member
Hypernyms (to "take on" is one way to...):
accept; have; take (receive willingly something given or offered)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "take on"):
profess (receive into a religious order or congregation)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Sentence example:
Sam cannot take on Sue
Meaning:
Contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle
Classified under:
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities
Synonyms:
take on; encounter; meet; play
Context examples:
Princeton plays Yale this weekend / Charlie likes to play Mary
"Take on" entails doing...:
compete; contend; vie (compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "take on"):
confront; face (oppose, as in hostility or a competition)
replay (repeat a game against the same opponent)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
