take-up

[ teyk-uhp ]

noun

1. the act of taking up.
2. Machinery.
   1. uptake ( def 3 ).
   2. any of various devices for taking up slack, winding in, or compensating for the looseness of parts due to wear.
3. the contraction of fabric resulting from the wet operations in the finishing process, especially fulling.

take up

verb

1. to adopt the study, practice, or activity of

   to take up gardening

2. to occupy and break in (uncultivated land)

   he took up some hundreds of acres in the back country

3. to shorten (a garment or part of a garment)

   she took all her skirts up three inches

4. to pay off (a note, mortgage, etc)
5. to agree to or accept (an invitation, etc)
6. to pursue further or resume (something)

   he took up French where he left off

7. to absorb (a liquid)
8. to adopt as a protégé; act as a patron to
9. to occupy or fill (space or time)
10. to interrupt, esp in order to contradict or criticize
11. take up on
    1. to argue or dispute with (someone)

       can I take you up on two points in your talk?

    2. to accept what is offered by (someone)

       let me take you up on your invitation

12. take up with
    1. to discuss with (someone); refer to

       to take up a fault with the manufacturers

    2. intr to begin to keep company or associate with

noun

1. 1. the claiming or acceptance of something, esp a state benefit, that is due or available
   2. ( as modifier )

      take-up rate

2. machinery the distance through which a part must move to absorb the free play in a system
3. modifier denoting the part of a mechanism on which film, tape, or wire is wound up

   a take-up spool on a tape recorder

Word History and Origins

Origin of take-up¹

First recorded in 1815–25; noun use of verb phrase take up

Example Sentences

It says this figure does not account for its ongoing drive to increase take-up of pension credit among an estimated 880,000 eligible pensioners not currently claiming the top-up.

From BBC

In a letter clarifying the figures, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said the estimates did not take into account any increased take-up of pension credit.

From BBC

Price is one of the biggest obstacles to the broader take-up of electric cars.

From BBC

Melbourne city council had previously reported that scooters had cut the city's carbon emissions by more than 400 tonnes and encouraged greater take-up of public transport.

From BBC

Ms Reeves said pension credit would be merged with housing benefit so more people claim who are entitled to it, and the government would work with older people's charities and local government to increase take-up.

From BBC

Related Words

• adopt
• assume
• commence
• continue
• embrace
• enter
• initiate
• open
• pick up
• renew
• reopen
• resume
• tackle
• undertake