take on
phrasal verb·4 senses·particle on
Meanings
Accept a responsibility or challenge
Why “on”? Weight piles on top of you. What is on you is yours to carry.
“I can't take on any more work right now.”
“The charity took on three new cases.”
“Don't take on too much at once.”
Employ new staff
“They are taking on twenty new employees.”
“The cafe is taking on two cooks for summer.”
“The shop is taking on weekend staff.”
Compete against
Why “on”? An action is directed onto a person, thing or weakness as its target.
“The team took on the reigning champions.”
“Our club took on the city champions.”
“Maya took on the chess champion.”
Accept extra responsibility
“She took on extra duties at work.”
“She took on the school play and the fair.”
Don't confuse with
Take on means accept a responsibility or challenge. Take in means understand and absorb information.
Take on means accept a responsibility or challenge. Take up means accept an offered opportunity.
Take on means accept a responsibility or challenge. Take back means re-employ or accept a person again.
Test yourself
“I can't take on any more work right now.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
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
take in
A contrast learners often mix up
Understand and absorb information; Deceive or cheat; Alter clothing to make smaller
take up
A contrast learners often mix up
Start a new hobby or activity; Occupy space or time; Accept an offered opportunity; Resume something after a pause or interruption; Shorten a piece of clothing by adjusting its hem
cheat on
Same on pattern: target
Be unfaithful to a partner
dote on
Same on pattern: target
Show extreme affection toward someone
dump on
Same on pattern: burden
Unload an unwanted task onto someone
fall on
Same on pattern: target
Attack someone fiercely
feast on
Same on pattern: target
Eat a large amount of a particular food with enjoyment
Tell it apart
Side-by-side comparisons with the verbs learners most often confuse for “take on”.
Practice “take on” in Sink In
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