1.
If you ~ an activity or a subject, you become interested in it and spend time doing it, either as a hobby or as a career.
He did not particularly want to ~ a competitive sport...
Angela used to be a model and has decided to take it up again.
PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P
2.
If you ~ a question, problem, or cause, you act on it or discuss how you are going to act on it.
Most scientists who can present evidence of an environmental threat can reasonably assume that a pressure group will ~ the issue...
Dr Mahathir intends to ~ the proposal with the prime minister...
If the bank is unhelpful take it up with the Ombudsman.
PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V P n with n, V n P with n, also V n P
3.
If you ~ a job, you begin to work at it.
He will ~ his post as the head of the civil courts at the end of next month.
PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), also V n P
4.
If you ~ an offer or a challenge, you accept it.
Increasingly, more wine-makers are taking up the challenge of growing Pinot Noir...
PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron)
5.
If something takes up a particular amount of time, space, or effort, it uses that amount.
I know how busy you must be and naturally I wouldn’t want to ~ too much of your time...
A good deal of my time is taken up with reading critical essays and reviews...
The aim was not to ~ valuable time with the usual boring pictures.
PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), be V-ed P with -ing/n, V P n with n/-ing
6.
If you ~ a particular position, you get into a particular place in relation to something else.
He had taken up a position in the centre of the room...
PHRASAL VERB: no passive, V P n (not pron)
7.
If you ~ something such as a task or a story, you begin doing it after it has been interrupted or after someone else has begun it.
Gerry’s wife Jo takes up the story...
‘No, no, no,’ says Damon, taking up where Dave left off.
PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V P wh, also V n P
8.
see also take-up