Phrasal verbs with 'TAKE'

TAKE ABACK – to shock, to take by surprise.

I was quite taken aback when I heard the news about Sheila’s husband.

TAKE AFTER – to resemble (in appearance or character).

Let’s hope her son doesn’t take after his father.

TAKE APART – take to pieces (both literally and figuratively).

The mechanic had taken my car apart trying to find the source of the problem.

TAKE ASIDE – to lead someone away to talk privately.

Gareth took me aside and told me that there was nothing else he could do to help me.

TAKE AWAY – to remove / to take someone somewhere.

As it turned out, they had taken away Frank’s gun and later that day he was taken away by the police.

TAKE BACK – to recant a statement / to regain smth.

I regret ever saying that and I wish I could take it back. And now it seems like I’ll never take back control of my company.

TAKE DOWN – to write smth down / to remove, delete smth.

I took down everything she said and then I made a post on social media. I was boiling with rage when I was forced to take this post down.

TAKE FOR – to recognize as, mistake for, to believe someone to be smth.

I never took Danny for a coward but there he was, skedaddling from the scene.

TAKE IN – to adopt someone / to comprehend.

Tanya told me that they took her in when she was only 7. And I was taken aback, ‘cause it was a lot to take in.

TAKE OFF – to depart / to become successful/to give a discount/to remove an item of clothing.

She dumfounded me with this news and then she just took off without saying another word. Years later, our mutual friend told me that she launched some online project and it took off practically overnight. I wonder if she’ll take a couple of dollars off her prices for me for old times' sake. Anyways, I take off my hat to Tanya for her hard work and ambition.

TAKE ON – to hire / to fight against, compete with/to assume responsibility for smth.

When our company took on 10 new employees, we felt like we could take on Apple or Google someday but in the end, we just had to take on a lot of extra paperwork.

TAKE OUT – to go to a restaurant (or a theater, etc.) with someone you’ve invited / to kill someone.

“Did you hear that Mickey finally took Gina out yesterday?”

“Wait a sec… Are we talking about a date or a murder?”

TAKE OVER – to gain control of smth.

The company was taken over by a foreign corporation as a way of getting into the local market.

TAKE THROUGH – to explain smth step by step.

The CEO took the employees through all the procedures of the takeover.

TAKE TO – to start to do smth as a habit / to start liking.

Glenn’s taken to sweeping his bangs to the side and I took to his new looks at once.

TAKE UP – to fill or use an amount of space or time / to start to do smth, especially as a hobby

The Internet takes up too much of my time. I feel like I need to take up jogging or something.

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