[take up] vt (14c) 1: pick up, lift
2. a: to begin to occupy (land) b: to gather from a number of sources "took up a collection" 3 a: to accept or adopt for the purpose of assisting b: to accept or adopt as one's own "took up the life of a farmer" "took up Irish citizenship" c: to absorb or incorporate into itself "plants taking up nutrients"
4. a: to enter upon (as a business, hobby, or subject of study) "take up skiing" "took up the trumpet" "had taken up Marxism" b: to proceed to consider or deal with "take up one problem at a time"
5: to establish oneself in "took up residence in town"
6: to occupy entirely or exclusively: fill up "the meeting was taken up with old business" 7: to make tighter or shorter "take up the slack" 8: to respond favorably to (as a person offering a bet, challenge, or proposal) "took me up on it" 9: to begin again or take over from another "we must take the good work up again" ~ vi 1: to make a beginning where another has left off
2: to become shortened: draw together: shrink -- take up the cudgels : to engage vigorously in a defense or dispute -- take up with 1: to become interested or absorbed in
2: to begin to associate or consort with