verb
Etymology: Middle English taken away, from taken to take + away
transitive verb
1. : to bear off to another place : carry away
drop in … and take away an armful of their publications — Richard Joseph
would allow foreign investors … to take away their capital gains — W.B.Preston
2.
a. : remove , separate
took geometry away from its subject matter of lengths, areas, and volumes — S.F.Mason
improved the house by taking the front porch away
b. : subtract
take away six from nine
3.
a. : to cause deprivation of
take the right to vote away
if support is suddenly taken away from an infant — H.A.Overstreet
b. : detract
without desiring to take away anything from the … production showing — Securities Outlook
intransitive verb
1. : to clear away a meal from the table
younger children had the task of taking away
2. : to derogate or detract (as from merit or effect) often to a specified extent : lessen reputation
these new elements have constantly taken away from the sea … until little but mediocrity remains — E.J.Schoettle
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- take it away
- take one's breath away