I. trans. † 1. a. To take by craft, to entrap; to overtake, seize upon. Obs.
c. 1200. Ormin, 10314. Forrþi þatt teȝȝ haffdenn niþ Wiþþ himm … & wolldenn unnderrtakenn himm Off summwhatt, ȝiff þeȝȝ mihhtenn.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, IX. xxxvii. 400. So sire Tristram endured there grete payne, for sekenesse had vndertake hym.
† b. To reprove, rebuke, chide. Obs.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XI. 89. ‘Wher-of serueth lawe,’ quod lewte, ‘if no lyf vndertoke it, Falsenesse ne faytrye.’
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 133. He wente to Scotlonde wiþ grete indingnacioun, for Wilfrede vndertook hym for he hylde vnlawfulliche Esterday.
c. 1400. Pilgr. Sowle, I. xix. (1859), 19. I haue ful oftymes for thy mysdedys undertake the.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., lxv. 290. Whan he was come, the Emperour vndirtoke hym of the cryme that he did to Guy.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., cliii. And he wold dysherite the good erle … for encheson that he undertoke hym of his wikkedness.
1691. trans. Emiliane’s Frauds Rom. Monks (ed. 3), 53. When he was in the company of Monks, who were not Reformed,… he would undertake them in a high manner, yea, with Insolence it self.
† 2. a. To accept, receive willingly. Obs.
a. 1250. Ancr. R., 114. He … underueng [Titus MS. undertoc] hit edmodliche.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 917. And þou, man, þat has vndertaken Þi wijf red, and min for-saken, Ne sal þou nawight þar wit win. Ibid., 9064. Yee rede me nu, for drightin sake, Your consail wil i vndertak.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 9984. For he wulde nat men hyt forsoke, But þat alle men hyt vndyrtoke. Ibid. (1338), Chron. (1810), 60. Þe barons said,… Þare trespas we vndertake opon alle our fee.
† b. To receive; to have given. Obs.
13[?]. Cursor M., 4642 (Gött.). I wil þat he here vndir-take All þe worschip of mi land.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. I. 93. And boxes ben broght forþ i-bounden with yre, To vndertake þe tol of vntrewe sacrifice In menynge of miracles.
1623. Lisle, Ælfric on O. & N. Test., Introd. Moses,… who wrote as God himself directed … while he abode with God upon Mount Sinai … & undertook [OE. orig., underfeng] his law.
† c. To receive into the mind; to hear. Obs.
13[?]. St. Alexius, 54, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1881), 175. His fadir sette him sone to boke And wele clergie he vndirtoke.
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. ii. 2. Bowe in thyn ere, and vndertac [L. suscipe] the wrdis of vndirstonding.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., V. iii. 34. Whose voice so soone as he did vndertake, Eftsoones he stood as still as any stake.
† 3. To understand. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 307. And be þe hette þou vnderta Þe hali gost comms of hem tua. Ibid., 2050. Noe wit þat mantil woke, His sun hething he vnder-toke.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 2967. Sone þis gouernour of grece is of þis gaude ware,… & vndiretuke he touched of himn-selfe.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxiii. 23. Ȝe cowde noght vndyr-take The tales þat I ȝou tolde.
c. 1510. More, Picus, Wks. 10/1. While she spake of the seconde death and euerlasting: & he vndertoke her of the first death & temporal.
4. To take upon oneself; to take in hand.
Sometimes contextually ‘to enter upon, begin.’
a. 1300. Cursor M., 4644. I wil him do at vnder-tak Þe wardanscipp of al mi land. Ibid., 4795. I am all redi bun Our aller nedes vnder ta.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, xxiv. 7. A ȝoungman dredis noght to vndirtake þe peril þat he is slane in.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, II. 807. He which þat no þyng vnder-taketh No þyng ne acheueth.
1404. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. I. 20. The same cuntrees have undertake the seges of hem til thei ben wonnen.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xxvi. 549. Telle me … what he sayeth of this quarell that ye have vndertake.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. liv. § 6. The … offices of that mysticall administration … which he voluntarily vnder-tooke.
a. 1628. Preston, Effectual Faith (1630), 8. Therefore they vndertake the businesse, they goe about the enterprize, and it comes to naught.
1654. Gataker, Disc. Apol., 53. [They] are readie to undertake more than they are able to undergo, or to go through with.
1717. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett. to Pope, 1 April. I have gone a journey not undertaken by any Christian for some hundred years.
1781. Cowper, Table-T., 284. They, that fight for freedom, undertake The noblest cause mankind can have at stake.
1831. Scott, Ct. Rob. xviii. What is the enterprise too bold to be undertaken on such a condition!
1847. Marryat, Childr. N. Forest, xvii. I hope you will undertake the post which I now offer you.
1874. Green, Short Hist., vi. § 4 (1882), 306. Colet … was the first to undertake the reform of the Church.
ellipt. 1605. Camden, Rem., 3. If any one would vndertake the honour and precedence of Britaine before other Realmes in serious manner.
1655. Stanley, Hist. Philos., III. 37. His friends … desired him to æstimate it at 50. minæ, promising to undertake the sum.
b. Const. to with inf. (Sometimes implying a solemn pledge or promise: cf. next.)
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3409. Now es god at vnder tak Þe store tell [Gött. stori to tell] of ysaac.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., Prol. 71. I ne haue nat vndyr-take As of the lef a gayn the flour to make.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 151. He … seith that he wol undertake Upon hire wordes forto stonde.
c. 1440. Generydes, 3175. Among your knyghtez all that ther is on Shall vnder take to Answer for this lande.
1494. in Lett. Rich. III. & Hen. VII. (Rolls), I. 389. Diuers noble personnes hanne enterprised and undertaked to hold a justis roiall.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 259. I wold first vndertake to geue ye charge vpon thennemy wt ii legions.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., III. ii. 38. Then you must vndertake to slander him.
1637. W. Saltonstall, Eusebius’ Constantine, 26. Constantine had undertooke … to free the Christians from his tyranny.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 935. I alone first undertook To wing the desolate Abyss.
1712. Blackmore, Creation, V. 281. That matter … in the immense from endless ages strove, The Stagyrite thus undertakes to prove.
1754. Shebbeare, Matrimony (1766), II. 259. Without this power the Mother-in-Law would scarce have undertook to have trafficed in the commerce of a Son committed to her care.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xxvi. Wayland and she followed in silence the deputy-usher, who undertook to be their conductor.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xxi. 150. A porter … undertook to conduct me to one of the adjacent glaciers.
c. To give a formal promise or pledge that; to take upon oneself to promise or affirm; to venture to assert.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, vii. (Jacob), 606. Wil þu vndirta Þat I and þai þat are with me, In gud fath sal vnschait be?
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXI. 20. Loue haþ vndertake That þis iesus of hus gentrise shal Iouste in peers Armes.
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 13. He wold vndyrtake þat þay schuld want ryght noght of hor mette.
15[?]. Adam Bel, cxxx. I dare vndertake for them That true men they shal be.
1530. Palsgr., 767/2. I dare undertake that he hath sayd nothynge but he wyll parforme it.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 230. I … vndertake, that this communicacion shal sorte, ard come to suche an effecte, that [etc.].
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 63. Sir Richard Moryson (… whom he would vndertake to be as worthy in his profession, as any of his time).
a. 1649. Winthrop, New Eng. (1825), I. 145. Mr. Maverick came and undertook that the offenders should be forthcoming.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time (1766), II. 49. He undertook to me, that the King should ask me no question.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xxxi. I have ridden … to present you with this letter,… having undertaken to your father that it should be delivered without delay.
1895. Funk’s Stand. Dict., s.v., I’ll undertake I can run faster than you.
d. I (dare) undertake, added to a statement.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. XI. 108. Þei two, as Ich hope…, Schul wisse þe to Dowel, I dar vndertake.
a. 1366[?]. Chaucer, Rom. Rose, 175. Wel coude he peynte, I vndirtake, That sich ymage coude make.
a. 1400. Pistill of Susan, 208. Ȝit schal trouþe hem a-taynt, I dar vnder-take.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 18. The fals goddys doth ye forsake,… Wych be not ellys, I undyrtake, But gold or sylvyr, stonys or tre.
c. 1480. Henryson, Fables, Lion & Mouse, 128. Thy fals excuse … Sall not auaill ane myte, I vnderta.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., i. You have gallants among you, I dare undertake, that have made the Virginia voyage.
e. With ellipse of inf. or obj. clause.
c. 1440. Generides, 7006. A rich woman I shal you make, That dar I wel vndretake.
1638. Hamilton Papers (Camden), 2. They [were] injoyned to dou ther best, and to goe presentely home, which they undertuck.
1651. Nicholas Papers (Camden), 257. Hee himselfe goes into Plimouth till all the articles be confirmd by Act of Parliament, which they have undertaken.
† f. To guarantee to cure. Obs.
1479. Stonor Lett. (1919), II. 88. And [= if] he may kepe him alive till Tuesday none, he will undertake him. Ibid. (1480), 100. The ffesisicion wolle do his cunnyng uppon me, but undertake me he wol not.
† g. To be surety for, Obs.–1
1597. Shaks., Lover’s Compl., 280. Lending … credent soul to that strong-bonded oath That shall prefer and undertake my troth.
5. To take in charge; to accept the duty of attending to or looking after.
c. 1300. Havelok, 377. [They] seyden, he moucthe hem [sc. the children] best loke, Yir þat he hem vndertoke.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 13112. Þe kyng dide his prisons loke Wiþ wardeyns þat hem vndertoke.
1382. Wyclif, Ps. iii. 6. I sleep, and was a slepe, and ful out ros; for the Lord vndertoc me.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., lxi. 251 (Harl. MS.). Thow shalt bid me … to kepe welle thi suster…. And I shalle thenne vndir-take hir.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., II. i. 97. To th’ water side I must conduct your Grace: Then giue my Charge vp to Sir Nicholas Vaux, Who vndertakes you to your end.
1629. Donne, Serm., 308. The Holy Ghost undertakes every man amongst us and would make every man fit for Gods service.
1658. Whole Duty Man, Pref. A 8. if a Physician should undertake a patient that were in some desperate disease, and by his skill bring him … out of it.
1795. Jemima, I. 60. Mrs. Wellon declared her readiness to undertake her.
1814. Byron, Lett. (1875), 436. I am going to be married…. Miss Milbanke is the good-natured person who has undertaken me.
1846. Trench, Mirac., xiii. (1862), 240. He was rather chasing away diseases … than Himself undertaking them.
1892. ‘H. S. Merriman,’ Slave of Lamp, xv. It fell to Hilda’s lot to undertake the Frenchman.
b. To engage with, enter into combat with.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, XIX. x. 788. Syre Vrre … and sir Alphegus … encountred to gyders for veray enuy, and soo eyther vndertook other to the Vtteraunce.
1616. B. Jonson, Cynthia’s Rev., V. iv. Sir, he shall yeeld you all the honor of a competent aduersarie, if you please to vnder-take him.
1667. Denham, Direct. Paint., I. xvi. 4. As if in our reproach, the Wind and Seas Would undertake the Dutch, while we take ease.
c. To take in hand to deal with (a person).
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., I. iii. 6. By my troth I would not vndertake her in this company. Is that the meaning of Accost?
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., IV. iv. § 32. The King casually coming thither…, undertook the Priest himself, though we never read before of his Majesties disputing.
1683. Cave, Ecclesiastici, Athanasius, 58. An ancient Confessor,… unskill’d in the Tricks and Methods of disputing,… offered himself to undertake him.
† 6. To assume, take to oneself. Obs.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., IV. ii. 106. You are like to Sir Vincentio. His name and credite shal you vndertake.
1596. Warner, Alb. Eng., X. lv. (1602), 243. Whilst she, in France, did vndertake our royall Armes and Stile.
1608. Topsell, Serpents, 115. It changeth … alwayes into the colour of that which is next it, except red and white, which colours it cannot easily vndertake.
7. To conduct the funeral of.
1900. Blackw. Mag., Jan., 97/1. Urijah … gave a notable proof or his filial affection, by gracefully and successfully ‘undertaking’ his father.
II. intr. † 8. To enter upon, commit oneself to, an enterprise. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 405. Hardy he was and wys to vndertake.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, V. 532. He was the man that pryncipall wndirtuk, That fyrst compild in dyt the Latyne buk.
1603. B. Jonson, Sejanus, IV. iii. No ill should force the subject undertake Against the sovereign.
1639. S. Du Verger, trans. Camus’ Admir. Events, 215. The sonne-in-law undertakes against the father in law, and the brothers are at division.
9. To give a pledge or promise; to enter into a compact or contract.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 572. Schir Rolland … left the Coilȝear to cum, as he had vndertane.
1608. [see UNDERWRITE v. 2 absol.].
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 74. The worst on mee must light,… for so I undertook Before thee. Ibid. (1671), P. R., II. 129. I, as I undertook,… Have found him.
10. To become surety or security, to make oneself answerable or responsible, for a person, fact, etc.
1548. Elyot, Spondere pro aliquo, to vndertake for one.
1586. J. Hooker, Irel., in Holinshed, II. 131/1. He brought also his two other brethren, for whome he had vndertaken.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., I. i. 436. But on mine honour dare I vndertake For good Lord Titus innocence in all.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 323. He … confessed hee would vndertake for the Wolfe, if they would set him at liberty.
1655. M. Casaubon, Enthus. (1656), 294. It shall not trouble me, who undertake not for the truth of it.
1690. Locke, Toleration, ii. Wks. 1727, II. 277. You undertake for the Success of this method, if rightly used.
1713. Arbuthnot, John Bull, III. v. She … undertook for her brother John’s good behaviour.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1879), II. 865/2. It was he who had principally undertaken for the obedience of the Argives.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. IV. v. 162. Clive undertaking for his security, Dooloob Ram joined the camp.
1880. Froude, Bunyan, 69. His friends undertook for his appearance when he should be required.
b. To engage oneself in a promise for.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time, I. 393. As there was no reason that … any discontents could be carried so far as to a general rising, which these men undertook for.
1790. Bruce, Source Nile, I. 260. I sailed with … three passengers, instead of one, for whom only I had undertaken.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist., vi. I. 367. Bacon … laughed at the chimerical notion, that private men should undertake for all the commons of England.
11. colloq. To carry on the business of a funeral undertaker. (Cf. 7.)
1891. Cent. Dict.
