Definition of "take on"

take on

verb
third-person singular simple present takes on, present participle taking on, simple past took on, past participle taken on
1. To acquire, bring in, or introduce.
  1. To obtain the services of (a person) in exchange for remuneration; to give someone a job.
2. (idiomatic) To begin to have or exhibit.
3. (idiomatic) To assume or take responsibility for.
  Quotations
  This type of marriage was always fraught with divorce because in most cases the old creditor, instead of allowing one of his male children to marry the girl, would take her on himself. For the fact that flirting was a serious taboo within the society, the girl would bolt away […] .
  1987, Nigeria Magazine, volumes 55-56, Government of Nigeria, page 27
  She was 78, I think, and if there was only one customer, she’d take him on sometimes.
  2005, Elaine McKewon, “The Scarlet Mile”, in A Social History of Prostitution in Kalgoorlie, 1894-2004, University of Western Australia Press, page 74
4. (idiomatic) To attempt to fight, compete with, or engage with.
  Quotations
  “I’ll bet, despite the fact that the Tenhausens picked you as a soul-mate for June Atterman, that if Beth Hillyer took of[f] her clothes and shook herself at you, you’d point right in the air and be ready to take her on.”
  1990, Robert H. Rimmer, The Harrad Experiment, Prometheus Books, page 93
  I don't find that sexy. I tell her to take her time and try to be friends and work her way in. Then I might see something nice in her and take her on.
  2003, George Gmelch, Behind the smile: The working lives of Caribbean tourism, Indiana University Press, page 129
  I'll be interested to see how this service does. It will be basic with fares to match, so will be akin to a budget airline taking on a flag-carrier.
  2021 June 30, Philip Haigh, “Regional trains squeezed as ECML congestion heads north”, in RAIL, number 934, page 52
5. (soccer) To (attempt to) dribble round (an opposition player).
  Quotations
  He drifted past four Palace players and took on two more before crossing to the far post, where Fellaini touched on for Mata to score. It was a momentum-shifting moment.
  2016 May 22, Phil McNulty, “Crystal Palace 1-2 Manchester United”, in BBC‎
6. (intransitive, colloquial) To catch on, do well; to become popular.
  Quotations
  He had enough money to stock it well, and it took on; but the side of the business he did best on was his travelling shop.
  1974, GB Edwards, The Book of Ebenezer Le Page, New York, published 2007, page 225
7. (intransitive, idiomatic) To grieve or be concerned (about something or someone).
  Quotations
  But I am one of those that never take on about princely fortunes, and am quite content if the world is ready to board and lodge me, while I am putting up at this grim sign of the Thunder Cloud.
  1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “chapter 16”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley
  So she hung crying, lopsided and ludicrous on the seat of the buggy […] . People passing looked at her and wondered why she was taking on. There was something almost obscene about a strong, healthy woman blubbering in the sunlight in that public place.
  1955, Patrick White, chapter 13, in The Tree of Man‎, New York: Viking, pages 198–199

Definition of "take on"

take on

verb

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