from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Hand \Hand\ (h[a^]nd), n. [AS. hand, hond; akin to D., G., & Sw.
hand, OHG. hant, Dan. haand, Icel. h["o]nd, Goth. handus, and
perh. to Goth. hin[thorn]an to seize (in comp.). Cf. {Hunt}.]
1. That part of the fore limb below the forearm or wrist in
man and monkeys, and the corresponding part in many other
animals; manus; paw. See {Manus}.
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2. That which resembles, or to some extent performs the
office of, a human hand; as:
(a) A limb of certain animals, as the foot of a hawk, or
any one of the four extremities of a monkey.
(b) An index or pointer on a dial; as, the hour or minute
hand of a clock.
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3. A measure equal to a hand's breadth, -- four inches; a
palm. Chiefly used in measuring the height of horses.
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4. Side; part; direction, either right or left.
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On this hand and that hand, were hangings. --Ex.
xxxviii. 15.
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The Protestants were then on the winning hand.
--Milton.
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5. Power of performance; means of execution; ability; skill;
dexterity.
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He had a great mind to try his hand at a Spectator.
--Addison.
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6. Actual performance; deed; act; workmanship; agency; hence,
manner of performance.
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To change the hand in carrying on the war.
--Clarendon.
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Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by my
hand. --Judges vi.
36.
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7. An agent; a servant, or laborer; a workman, trained or
competent for special service or duty; a performer more or
less skillful; as, a deck hand; a farm hand; an old hand
at speaking.
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A dictionary containing a natural history requires
too many hands, as well as too much time, ever to be
hoped for. --Locke.
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I was always reckoned a lively hand at a simile.
--Hazlitt.
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8. Handwriting; style of penmanship; as, a good, bad, or
running hand. Hence, a signature.
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I say she never did invent this letter;
This is a man's invention and his hand. --Shak.
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Some writs require a judge's hand. --Burril.
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9. Personal possession; ownership; hence, control; direction;
management; -- usually in the plural. "Receiving in hand
one year's tribute." --Knolles.
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Albinus . . . found means to keep in his hands the
government of Britain. --Milton.
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10. Agency in transmission from one person to another; as, to
buy at first hand, that is, from the producer, or when
new; at second hand, that is, when no longer in the
producer's hand, or when not new.
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11. Rate; price. [Obs.] "Business is bought at a dear hand,
where there is small dispatch." --Bacon.
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12. That which is, or may be, held in a hand at once; as:
(a) (Card Playing) The quota of cards received from the
dealer.
(b) (Tobacco Manuf.) A bundle of tobacco leaves tied
together.
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13. (Firearms) The small part of a gunstock near the lock,
which is grasped by the hand in taking aim.
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Note: Hand is used figuratively for a large variety of acts
or things, in the doing, or making, or use of which the
hand is in some way employed or concerned; also, as a
symbol to denote various qualities or conditions, as:
(a) Activity; operation; work; -- in distinction from the
head, which implies thought, and the heart, which
implies affection. "His hand will be against every
man." --Gen. xvi. 12.
(b) Power; might; supremacy; -- often in the Scriptures.
"With a mighty hand . . . will I rule over you."
--Ezek. xx. 33.
(c) Fraternal feeling; as, to give, or take, the hand; to
give the right hand.
(d) Contract; -- commonly of marriage; as, to ask the
hand; to pledge the hand.
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Note: Hand is often used adjectively or in compounds (with or
without the hyphen), signifying performed by the hand;
as, hand blow or hand-blow, hand gripe or hand-gripe:
used by, or designed for, the hand; as, hand ball or
handball, hand bow, hand fetter, hand grenade or
hand-grenade, handgun or hand gun, handloom or hand
loom, handmill or hand organ or handorgan, handsaw or
hand saw, hand-weapon: measured or regulated by the
hand; as, handbreadth or hand's breadth, hand gallop or
hand-gallop. Most of the words in the following
paragraph are written either as two words or in
combination.
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{Hand bag}, a satchel; a small bag for carrying books,
papers, parcels, etc.
{Hand basket}, a small or portable basket.
{Hand bell}, a small bell rung by the hand; a table bell.
--Bacon.
{Hand bill}, a small pruning hook. See 4th {Bill}.
{Hand car}. See under {Car}.
{Hand director} (Mus.), an instrument to aid in forming a
good position of the hands and arms when playing on the
piano; a hand guide.
{Hand drop}. See {Wrist drop}.
{Hand gallop}. See under {Gallop}.
{Hand gear} (Mach.), apparatus by means of which a machine,
or parts of a machine, usually operated by other power,
may be operated by hand.
{Hand glass}.
(a) A glass or small glazed frame, for the protection of
plants.
(b) A small mirror with a handle.
{Hand guide}. Same as {Hand director} (above).
{Hand language}, the art of conversing by the hands, esp. as
practiced by the deaf and dumb; dactylology.
{Hand lathe}. See under {Lathe}.
{Hand money}, money paid in hand to bind a contract; earnest
money.
{Hand organ} (Mus.), a barrel organ, operated by a crank
turned by hand.
{Hand plant}. (Bot.) Same as {Hand tree} (below). -- {Hand
rail}, a rail, as in staircases, to hold by. --Gwilt.
{Hand sail}, a sail managed by the hand. --Sir W. Temple.
{Hand screen}, a small screen to be held in the hand.
{Hand screw}, a small jack for raising heavy timbers or
weights; (Carp.) a screw clamp.
{Hand staff} (pl. {Hand staves}), a javelin. --Ezek. xxxix.
9.
{Hand stamp}, a small stamp for dating, addressing, or
canceling papers, envelopes, etc.
{Hand tree} (Bot.), a lofty tree found in Mexico
({Cheirostemon platanoides}), having red flowers whose
stamens unite in the form of a hand.
{Hand vise}, a small vise held in the hand in doing small
work. --Moxon.
{Hand work}, or {Handwork}, work done with the hands, as
distinguished from work done by a machine; handiwork.
{All hands}, everybody; all parties.
{At all hands}, {On all hands}, on all sides; from every
direction; generally.
{At any hand}, {At no hand}, in any (or no) way or direction;
on any account; on no account. "And therefore at no hand
consisting with the safety and interests of humility."
--Jer. Taylor.
{At first hand}, {At second hand}. See def. 10 (above).
{At hand}.
(a) Near in time or place; either present and within
reach, or not far distant. "Your husband is at hand;
I hear his trumpet." --Shak.
(b) Under the hand or bridle. [Obs.] "Horses hot at
hand." --Shak.
{At the hand of}, by the act of; as a gift from. "Shall we
receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive
evil?" --Job ii. 10.
{Bridle hand}. See under {Bridle}.
{By hand}, with the hands, in distinction from
instrumentality of tools, engines, or animals; as, to weed
a garden by hand; to lift, draw, or carry by hand.
{Clean hands}, freedom from guilt, esp. from the guilt of
dishonesty in money matters, or of bribe taking. "He that
hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger." --Job
xvii. 9.
{From hand to hand}, from one person to another.
{Hand in hand}.
(a) In union; conjointly; unitedly. --Swift.
(b) Just; fair; equitable.
As fair and as good, a kind of hand in hand
comparison. --Shak.
{Hand over hand}, {Hand over fist}, by passing the hands
alternately one before or above another; as, to climb hand
over hand; also, rapidly; as, to come up with a chase hand
over hand.
{Hand over head}, negligently; rashly; without seeing what
one does. [Obs.] --Bacon.
{Hand running}, consecutively; as, he won ten times hand
running.
{Hands off!} keep off! forbear! no interference or meddling!
{Hand to hand}, in close union; in close fight; as, a hand to
hand contest. --Dryden.
{Heavy hand}, severity or oppression.
{In hand}.
(a) Paid down. "A considerable reward in hand, and . . .
a far greater reward hereafter." --Tillotson.
(b) In preparation; taking place. --Chaucer. "Revels . .
. in hand." --Shak.
(c) Under consideration, or in the course of transaction;
as, he has the business in hand.
{In one's hand} or {In one's hands}.
(a) In one's possession or keeping.
(b) At one's risk, or peril; as, I took my life in my
hand.
{Laying on of hands}, a form used in consecrating to office,
in the rite of confirmation, and in blessing persons.
{Light hand}, gentleness; moderation.
{Note of hand}, a promissory note.
{Off hand}, {Out of hand}, forthwith; without delay,
hesitation, or difficulty; promptly. "She causeth them to
be hanged up out of hand." --Spenser.
{Off one's hands}, out of one's possession or care.
{On hand}, in present possession; as, he has a supply of
goods on hand.
{On one's hands}, in one's possession care, or management.
{Putting the hand under the thigh}, an ancient Jewish
ceremony used in swearing.
{Right hand}, the place of honor, power, and strength.
{Slack hand}, idleness; carelessness; inefficiency; sloth.
{Strict hand}, severe discipline; rigorous government.
{To bear a hand} (Naut.), to give help quickly; to hasten.
{To bear in hand}, to keep in expectation with false
pretenses. [Obs.] --Shak.
{To be hand and glove with} or {To be hand in glove with}.
See under {Glove}.
{To be on the mending hand}, to be convalescent or improving.
{To bring up by hand}, to feed (an infant) without suckling
it.
{To change hand}. See {Change}.
{To change hands}, to change sides, or change owners.
--Hudibras.
{To clap the hands}, to express joy or applause, as by
striking the palms of the hands together.
{To come to hand}, to be received; to be taken into
possession; as, the letter came to hand yesterday.
{To get hand}, to gain influence. [Obs.]
Appetites have . . . got such a hand over them.
--Baxter.
{To get one's hand in}, to make a beginning in a certain
work; to become accustomed to a particular business.
{To have a hand in}, to be concerned in; to have a part or
concern in doing; to have an agency or be employed in.
{To have in hand}.
(a) To have in one's power or control. --Chaucer.
(b) To be engaged upon or occupied with.
{To have one's hands full}, to have in hand all that one can
do, or more than can be done conveniently; to be pressed
with labor or engagements; to be surrounded with
difficulties.
{To have the (higher) upper hand}, or {To get the (higher)
upper hand}, to have, or get, the better of another person or
thing.
{To his hand}, {To my hand}, etc., in readiness; already
prepared. "The work is made to his hands." --Locke.
{To hold hand}, to compete successfully or on even
conditions. [Obs.] --Shak.
{To lay hands on}, to seize; to assault.
{To lend a hand}, to give assistance.
{To lift the hand against}, or {To put forth the hand
against}, to attack; to oppose; to kill.
{To live from hand to mouth}, to obtain food and other
necessaries as want compels, without previous provision.
{To make one's hand}, to gain advantage or profit.
{To put the hand unto}, to steal. --Ex. xxii. 8.
{To put the last hand to} or {To put the finishing hand to},
to make the last corrections in; to complete; to perfect.
{To set the hand to}, to engage in; to undertake.
That the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that
thou settest thine hand to. --Deut. xxiii.
20.
{To stand one in hand}, to concern or affect one.
{To strike hands}, to make a contract, or to become surety
for another's debt or good behavior.
{To take in hand}.
(a) To attempt or undertake.
(b) To seize and deal with; as, he took him in hand.
{To wash the hands of}, to disclaim or renounce interest in,
or responsibility for, a person or action; as, to wash
one's hands of a business. --Matt. xxvii. 24.
{Under the hand of}, authenticated by the handwriting or
signature of; as, the deed is executed under the hand and
seal of the owner.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Take \Take\, v. t. [imp. {Took} (t[oo^]k); p. p. {Taken}
(t[=a]k'n); p. pr. & vb. n. {Taking}.] [Icel. taka; akin to
Sw. taga, Dan. tage, Goth. t[=e]kan to touch; of uncertain
origin.]
1. In an active sense; To lay hold of; to seize with the
hands, or otherwise; to grasp; to get into one's hold or
possession; to procure; to seize and carry away; to
convey. Hence, specifically:
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(a) To obtain possession of by force or artifice; to get
the custody or control of; to reduce into subjection
to one's power or will; to capture; to seize; to make
prisoner; as, to take an army, a city, or a ship;
also, to come upon or befall; to fasten on; to attack;
to seize; -- said of a disease, misfortune, or the
like.
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This man was taken of the Jews. --Acts xxiii.
27.
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Men in their loose, unguarded hours they take;
Not that themselves are wise, but others weak.
--Pope.
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They that come abroad after these showers are
commonly taken with sickness. --Bacon.
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There he blasts the tree and takes the cattle
And makes milch kine yield blood. --Shak.
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(b) To gain or secure the interest or affection of; to
captivate; to engage; to interest; to charm.
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Neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
--Prov. vi.
25.
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Cleombroutus was so taken with this prospect,
that he had no patience. --Wake.
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I know not why, but there was a something in
those half-seen features, -- a charm in the very
shadow that hung over their imagined beauty, --
which took me more than all the outshining
loveliness of her companions. --Moore.
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(c) To make selection of; to choose; also, to turn to; to
have recourse to; as, to take the road to the right.
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Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my
son. And Jonathan was taken. --1 Sam. xiv.
42.
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The violence of storming is the course which God
is forced to take for the destroying . . . of
sinners. --Hammond.
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(d) To employ; to use; to occupy; hence, to demand; to
require; as, it takes so much cloth to make a coat; it
takes five hours to get to Boston from New York by
car.
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This man always takes time . . . before he
passes his judgments. --I. Watts.
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(e) To form a likeness of; to copy; to delineate; to
picture; as, to take a picture of a person.
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Beauty alone could beauty take so right.
--Dryden.
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(f) To draw; to deduce; to derive. [R.]
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The firm belief of a future judgment is the most
forcible motive to a good life, because taken
from this consideration of the most lasting
happiness and misery. --Tillotson.
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(g) To assume; to adopt; to acquire, as shape; to permit
to one's self; to indulge or engage in; to yield to;
to have or feel; to enjoy or experience, as rest,
revenge, delight, shame; to form and adopt, as a
resolution; -- used in general senses, limited by a
following complement, in many idiomatic phrases; as,
to take a resolution; I take the liberty to say.
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(h) To lead; to conduct; as, to take a child to church.
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(i) To carry; to convey; to deliver to another; to hand
over; as, he took the book to the bindery; he took a
dictionary with him.
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He took me certain gold, I wot it well.
--Chaucer.
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(k) To remove; to withdraw; to deduct; -- with from; as,
to take the breath from one; to take two from four.
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2. In a somewhat passive sense, to receive; to bear; to
endure; to acknowledge; to accept. Specifically:
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(a) To accept, as something offered; to receive; not to
refuse or reject; to admit.
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Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a
murderer. --Num. xxxv.
31.
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Let not a widow be taken into the number under
threescore. --1 Tim. v.
10.
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(b) To receive as something to be eaten or drunk; to
partake of; to swallow; as, to take food or wine.
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(c) Not to refuse or balk at; to undertake readily; to
clear; as, to take a hedge or fence.
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(d) To bear without ill humor or resentment; to submit to;
to tolerate; to endure; as, to take a joke; he will
take an affront from no man.
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(e) To admit, as, something presented to the mind; not to
dispute; to allow; to accept; to receive in thought;
to entertain in opinion; to understand; to interpret;
to regard or look upon; to consider; to suppose; as,
to take a thing for granted; this I take to be man's
motive; to take men for spies.
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You take me right. --Bacon.
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Charity, taken in its largest extent, is nothing
else but the science love of God and our
neighbor. --Wake.
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[He] took that for virtue and affection which
was nothing but vice in a disguise. --South.
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You'd doubt his sex, and take him for a girl.
--Tate.
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(f) To accept the word or offer of; to receive and accept;
to bear; to submit to; to enter into agreement with;
-- used in general senses; as, to take a form or
shape.
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I take thee at thy word. --Rowe.
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Yet thy moist clay is pliant to command; . . .
Not take the mold. --Dryden.
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3. To make a picture, photograph, or the like, of; as, to
take a group or a scene. [Colloq.]
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
4. To give or deliver (a blow to); to strike; hit; as, he
took me in the face; he took me a blow on the head. [Obs.
exc. Slang or Dial.]
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
{To be taken aback}, {To take advantage of}, {To take air},
etc. See under {Aback}, {Advantage}, etc.
{To take aim}, to direct the eye or weapon; to aim.
{To take along}, to carry, lead, or convey.
{To take arms}, to commence war or hostilities.
{To take away}, to carry off; to remove; to cause deprivation
of; to do away with; as, a bill for taking away the votes
of bishops. "By your own law, I take your life away."
--Dryden.
{To take breath}, to stop, as from labor, in order to breathe
or rest; to recruit or refresh one's self.
{To take care}, to exercise care or vigilance; to be
solicitous. "Doth God take care for oxen?" --1 Cor. ix. 9.
{To take care of}, to have the charge or care of; to care
for; to superintend or oversee.
{To take down}.
(a) To reduce; to bring down, as from a high, or higher,
place; as, to take down a book; hence, to bring lower;
to depress; to abase or humble; as, to take down
pride, or the proud. "I never attempted to be impudent
yet, that I was not taken down." --Goldsmith.
(b) To swallow; as, to take down a potion.
(c) To pull down; to pull to pieces; as, to take down a
house or a scaffold.
(d) To record; to write down; as, to take down a man's
words at the time he utters them.
{To take effect}, {To take fire}. See under {Effect}, and
{Fire}.
{To take ground to the right} or {To take ground to the left}
(Mil.), to extend the line to the right or left; to move,
as troops, to the right or left.
{To take heart}, to gain confidence or courage; to be
encouraged.
{To take heed}, to be careful or cautious. "Take heed what
doom against yourself you give." --Dryden.
{To take heed to}, to attend with care, as, take heed to thy
ways.
{To take hold of}, to seize; to fix on.
{To take horse}, to mount and ride a horse.
{To take in}.
(a) To inclose; to fence.
(b) To encompass or embrace; to comprise; to comprehend.
(c) To draw into a smaller compass; to contract; to brail
or furl; as, to take in sail.
(d) To cheat; to circumvent; to gull; to deceive.
[Colloq.]
(e) To admit; to receive; as, a leaky vessel will take in
water.
(f) To win by conquest. [Obs.]
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For now Troy's broad-wayed town
He shall take in. --Chapman.
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(g) To receive into the mind or understanding. "Some
bright genius can take in a long train of
propositions." --I. Watts.
(h) To receive regularly, as a periodical work or
newspaper; to take. [Eng.]
{To take in hand}. See under {Hand}.
{To take in vain}, to employ or utter as in an oath. "Thou
shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."
--Ex. xx. 7.
{To take issue}. See under {Issue}.
{To take leave}. See {Leave}, n., 2.
{To take a newspaper}, {magazine}, or the like, to receive it
regularly, as on paying the price of subscription.
{To take notice}, to observe, or to observe with particular
attention.
{To take notice of}. See under {Notice}.
{To take oath}, to swear with solemnity, or in a judicial
manner.
{To take on}, to assume; to take upon one's self; as, to take
on a character or responsibility.
{To take one's own course}, to act one's pleasure; to pursue
the measures of one's own choice.
{To take order for}. See under {Order}.
{To take order with}, to check; to hinder; to repress. [Obs.]
--Bacon.
{To take orders}.
(a) To receive directions or commands.
(b) (Eccl.) To enter some grade of the ministry. See
{Order}, n., 10.
{To take out}.
(a) To remove from within a place; to separate; to deduct.
(b) To draw out; to remove; to clear or cleanse from; as,
to take out a stain or spot from cloth.
(c) To produce for one's self; as, to take out a patent.
{To take up}.
(a) To lift; to raise. --Hood.
(b) To buy or borrow; as, to take up goods to a large
amount; to take up money at the bank.
(c) To begin; as, to take up a lamentation. --Ezek. xix.
1.
(d) To gather together; to bind up; to fasten or to
replace; as, to take up raveled stitches; specifically
(Surg.), to fasten with a ligature.
(e) To engross; to employ; to occupy or fill; as, to take
up the time; to take up a great deal of room.
(f) To take permanently. "Arnobius asserts that men of the
finest parts . . . took up their rest in the Christian
religion." --Addison.
(g) To seize; to catch; to arrest; as, to take up a thief;
to take up vagabonds.
(h) To admit; to believe; to receive. [Obs.]
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The ancients took up experiments upon credit.
--Bacon.
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(i) To answer by reproof; to reprimand; to berate.
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One of his relations took him up roundly.
--L'Estrange.
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(k) To begin where another left off; to keep up in
continuous succession; to take up (a topic, an
activity).
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Soon as the evening shades prevail,
The moon takes up the wondrous tale. --Addison.
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(l) To assume; to adopt as one's own; to carry on or
manage; as, to take up the quarrels of our neighbors;
to take up current opinions. "They take up our old
trade of conquering." --Dryden.
(m) To comprise; to include. "The noble poem of Palemon
and Arcite . . . takes up seven years." --Dryden.
(n) To receive, accept, or adopt for the purpose of
assisting; to espouse the cause of; to favor. --Ps.
xxvii. 10.
(o) To collect; to exact, as a tax; to levy; as, to take
up a contribution. "Take up commodities upon our
bills." --Shak.
(p) To pay and receive; as, to take up a note at the bank.
(q) (Mach.) To remove, as by an adjustment of parts; as,
to take up lost motion, as in a bearing; also, to make
tight, as by winding, or drawing; as, to take up slack
thread in sewing.
(r) To make up; to compose; to settle; as, to take up a
quarrel. [Obs.] --Shak. -- (s) To accept from someone,
as a wager or a challenge; as, J. took M. up on his
challenge.
{To take up arms}. Same as {To take arms}, above.
{To take upon one's self}.
(a) To assume; to undertake; as, he takes upon himself to
assert that the fact is capable of proof.
(b) To appropriate to one's self; to allow to be imputed
to, or inflicted upon, one's self; as, to take upon
one's self a punishment.
{To take up the gauntlet}. See under {Gauntlet}.
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