take something up phrasal verb ( see also ↑ take )
1 . take something ↔ up to become interested in a new activity and to spend time doing it:
Roger took painting up for a while, but soon lost interest.
2 . to start a new job or have a new responsibility:
Peter will take up the management of the finance department.
take up a post/a position/duties etc
The headteacher takes her duties up in August.
3 . take something ↔ up if you take up a suggestion, problem, complaint etc, you start to do something about it:
Now the papers have taken up the story.
take something ↔ up with
The hospital manager has promised to take the matter up with the member of staff involved.
I am still very angry and will be taking it up with the authorities.
4 . to fill a particular amount of time or space
be taken up with something
The little time I had outside of school was taken up with work.
take up space/room
old books that were taking up space in the office
5 . take something ↔ up to accept a suggestion, offer, or idea:
Rob took up the invitation to visit.
take up the challenge/gauntlet
Rick took up the challenge and cycled the 250 mile route alone.
6 . to move to the exact place where you should be, so that you are ready to do something:
The runners are taking up their positions on the starting line.
7 . take something ↔ up to make a piece of clothing shorter OPP let down
8 . take something ↔ up to continue a story or activity that you or someone else had begun, after a short break:
I’ll take up the story where you left off.