take away
phrasal verb·4 senses·particle away
Meanings
Remove something from a place
Why “away”? A broom sweeps aside. Unwanted items are pushed out of the scene.
“Take the dirty dishes away, please.”
“Take the empty cups away from the table.”
“They took away the old fridge when delivering the new one.”
Buy food to eat elsewhere
“Maya bought a sandwich to take away from the shopping centre cafe after lunch.”
“Can we get two pizzas to take away?”
“Would you like to eat in or take away?”
“She ordered noodles to take away and ate them at work.”
Subtract a number
“Ten take away four equals six.”
“Take away the discount from the total.”
“The teacher asked us to take away five from twelve.”
Learn or remember an important idea from an experience
Why “away”? When an experience ends, an idea, feeling, or impression remains in your mind.
“I took away one useful idea from the workshop.”
“What did you take away from the book?”
Don't confuse with
Take away means remove something from a place. Take back means reclaim something you gave.
Take away means remove something from a place. Take apart means disassemble completely.
Test yourself
“Take the dirty dishes away, please.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
take apart
A contrast learners often mix up
Disassemble completely; Criticise harshly
take back
A contrast learners often mix up
Reclaim something you gave; Retract a statement; Carry something back to where it came from; Make someone remember a past time vividly; Re-employ or accept a person again
blow away
Same away pattern: removal
Be carried away by the wind; Greatly impress someone
brush away
Same away pattern: removal
Push aside dismissively
carry away
Same away pattern: removal
Become so excited or absorbed that you lose self-control
cart away
Same away pattern: removal
Take something or someone away in a vehicle, often without ceremony
clear away
Same away pattern: removal
Remove items to tidy a space
do away
Same away pattern: removal
Remove something completely or abolish it; Murder someone (informal)
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