Phrasal verbs with take

Take is used in a number of common phrasal verbs. Here is a list of them.

Take after (somebody) – resemble a parent or relation in looks.

The baby takes after her mother.

Take something back – withdraw something (one has said)

Be careful with the words you speak. You can’t take them back.

Take something down – lower

If you can take the price down, I will buy it.

Take somebody down – lower his pride

Take somebody in – receive him / her as a guest; get the better of somebody by a trick

She refused to take me in.

The cunning fox took the crow in.

Take something in – understand; see at a glance

It was a difficult passage. I couldn’t take it in.

Take somebody or something for – consider to be, especially wrongly suppose to be

I took him for a foreigner.

He was taken for an English man.

Take off – start a flight

The aircraft took off at 6.30.

Take on – undertake work; engage workers

Take something over – succeed to the management or ownership of

When does the new manager take over?

Take to – adopt as a habit; develop a liking for

He took to farming on retirement.

I took to her at once.

Take up – occupy time, space

That table takes up a lot of space.