take apart
phrasal verb·2 senses·particle apart
Meanings
Disassemble completely
Why “apart”? A whole opens into separate pieces, or people move away from each other.
“He took apart the engine to find the fault.”
“Maya took apart the old radio.”
“They had to take the bike apart to fit it in the car.”
Criticise harshly
Why “apart”? Pulling things apart mentally reveals the differences between them.
“The critics took her performance apart.”
“The manager took the weak proposal apart.”
“Reviewers took the film apart on opening weekend.”
Don't confuse with
Take apart means disassemble completely. Take after means resemble a parent or relative.
Take apart means disassemble completely. Take away means remove something from a place.
Test yourself
“He took apart the engine to find the fault.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
take after
A contrast learners often mix up
Resemble a parent or relative
take away
A contrast learners often mix up
Remove something from a place; Buy food to eat elsewhere; Subtract a number
come apart
Same apart pattern: separation
Break into pieces or stop holding together
drift apart
Same apart pattern: separation
Slowly become less close to someone
fall apart
Same apart pattern: separation
Break into separate pieces because something is broken; Become unable to cope emotionally; (of a relationship, plan or system) collapse
grow apart
Same apart pattern: separation
Gradually become less interested in each other
pull apart
Same apart pattern: separation
Separate two people or things by force
set apart
Same apart pattern: difference
Make someone or something different from others
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