taking

[ tey-king ]

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that takes.
2. the state of being taken. taken.
3. something that is taken. taken.
4. an action by the federal government, as a regulatory ruling, that imposes a restriction on the use of private property for which the owner must be compensated.
5. takings, receipts, especially of money earned or gained.
6. Archaic. a state of agitation or distress.

adjective

1. captivating, winning, or pleasing.
2. Archaic. infectious or contagious.

taking

/ ˈteɪkɪŋ /

adjective

1. charming, fascinating, or intriguing
2. informal.
   infectious; catching

noun

1. something taken
2. plural receipts; earnings

Derived Forms

• ˈtakingness, noun
• ˈtakingly, adverb

Other Word Forms

• taking·ly adverb
• un·taking adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of taking¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English takyng (gerund); take, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

Trump has repeatedly showed interest in taking control of the autonomous Danish dependent territory and has refused to rule out economic or military force to take control of it.

From BBC

He said it would previously take about three or four days for a body to be released from a hospital mortuary to a funeral director, but this was now taking 10 to 20 days.

From BBC

The ex-footballer likened it to returning a kickoff and taking advantage of a fleeting hole in the defense.

From Los Angeles Times

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said the Government was "taking urgent action to fix the broken system we inherited".

From BBC

The two students have a history of pro-Palestinan activism on campus, with the University of Birmingham previously taking legal action against Ms Ali and others over encampments last summer.

From BBC