verb
Etymology: Middle English taken out, from taken to take + out
transitive verb
1. : to remove from within (as from a receptacle, a place, enclosing bounds or limits, a set or composite)
had his tonsils taken out
took his pen out and signed on the spot
took the melodrama out of the rescue scenes and substituted pathos — M.W.Fishwick
nurse took out the supper trays and the lights in the ward were turned off — Carson McCullers
as
a.
(1) : deduct , separate
took his commission out before turning over the proceeds
(2) : except , exclude , omit
21 working days, taking out weekends and holidays
(3) : withdraw , withhold
some land will be taken out of spring wheat and flaxseed — Successful Farming
b. : to draw out by cleansing
a preparation for taking stains out
c. : to find release for : give vent to : expend — usually used with on
take out their resentments on one another — J.W.Aldridge
take out their wanderlust on geographic magazines — T.H.Robsjohn-Gibbings
d. : to get rid of or put an end to (as an obstacle, an opponent) : eliminate
second ball takes out all the remaining pins — Beginning Bowling
main job was to take out enemy airfields — Walter Millis
needed to have some of the conceit taken out of him
2. obsolete : copy
3. : to lead or carry forth (as into the open air, from a private to a public place, into society)
took the dog out for a run
mother liked to be taken out for dinner occasionally
perfect weather for taking the baby out
prettiest girl he had ever taken out on the dance floor
as
a. : escort
not a puzzle to her that men seldom wanted to take her out — Aurelia Levi
b. : conduct
the next year he took out his first road company — W.B.Shaw
4. : to take as an equivalent : obtain or receive the value of in another form — used with in
part of the mill-workers' pay is taken out in houses — Sinclair Lewis
took what remained of the debt out in goods
5.
a. : to obtain (as by application) from the proper authority
take out a summons
take out a charter
forgot to take a new dog license out
new Socialist peers have followed tradition and taken out coats of arms — New York Herald Tribune
applied to take out citizenship
b. : to arrange for (insurance)
your age at the time you take out your annuity — advt
6. : to overcall (as one's bridge partner or his bid) in a denomination that is different or to bid over (as a double or redouble by partner) when the intervening opponent has passed, doubled, or redoubled
intransitive verb
: to start on a course : set out : strike out
wagons were taking out, some of them to face … miles of country road — William Faulkner
saw the tracers of his machine guns taking out after them — Ira Wolfert
trail took out across a long undulating grass prairie — H.L.Davis
take out for home
•
- take it out on