undertake
English
/ʌndəˈteɪk/
verb
Definitions
- (transitive) To take upon oneself; to start, to embark on (a specific task etc.).
- (intransitive) To commit oneself (to an obligation, activity etc.).
- (informal) To overtake on the wrong side.
- (archaic) To pledge; to assert, assure; to dare say.
- (obsolete) To take by trickery; to trap, to seize upon.
- (obsolete) To assume, as a character; to take on.
- (obsolete) To engage with; to attack, take on in a fight.
- (obsolete) To have knowledge of; to hear.
- (obsolete) To have or take charge of.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English undertaken prefix from English take.
Origin
English
take
Gloss
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- betake English
- caretake English
- entertake English
- foretake English
- fortake English
- intake English
- mistake English
- offtake English
- ontake English
- outtake English
- overtake English
- retake English
- stocktake English
- take English
- takeable English
- takeaway English
- takeover English
- taker English
- takest English
- undertakable English
- undertakest English
- undertaketh English
- uptake English
- wapentake English
- withtake English
- wrongtake English
- teikata Finnish
- taken Middle English
- undertaken Middle English
- teki Sranan Tongo
- tek Jamaican Creole