Take

verb (colloquial).—To please; to succeed. Hence TAKING (or TAKY) = attractive, captivating. Also TO TAKE TO (or WITH) or TO HAVE A TAKE.

  1340.  RICHARD ROLLE OF HAMPOLE, Works [E.E.T.S.], 2. With whas lufe it es TAKYN.

  1607.  BEAUMONT, The Woman-Hater, iv. 2. So I shall discourse in some sort TAKINGLY.

  1609.  JONSON, Epicœne, or the Silent Woman, i. 1.

  c. 1614.  BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, The Faithful Friends, iii. 3.

  1625–30.  The Court and Times of Charles the First, I. 101. A young man … tenderly and firmly affectionate where he TAKES.

  1656.  J. TAYLOR, A Discourse of Artificial Handsomness 41. All outward Adornings … have something in them of a complaisance and TAKINGNESS.

  1677.  COTTON [WALTON, The Compleat Angler, ii. 237]. To say the truth it is not very TAKING at first sight.

  1680.  AUBREY, Lives, ‘Samuel Butler.’ He printed a witty poem called Hudibras; the first part … TOOKE extremely. Ibid., 372. A TAKING doctrine.

  c. 1696.  B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. TAKE-TIME … VERY TAKING, acceptable, agreeable or becoming. IT TAKES WELL, or, the Town TAKES it, the Play pleas’d, or was acted with Applause, or the Book sells well. No doubt but it will TAKE, no question but it will sell.

  d. 1732.  ATTERBURY, Sermons, I. iii. He knew what would TAKE and be liked; and he knew how to express it after a TAKING manner.

  1821.  LAMB, The Essays of Elia, ‘Mrs. Battle’s Opinions on Whist.’ She … was never greatly TAKEN with cribbage.

  1854.  W. COLLINS, Hide and Seek, i. 9. Putting in TAKY touches, and putting in bits of effect.

  1857.  C. KINGSLEY, Two Years Ago, vii. The style TAKES; the style pays; and what more would you have?

  1871.  H. B. STOWE, Oldtown Fireside Stories, 32. Somehow or other, she TOOK to Ruth, and Ruth TOOK to her.

  1872.  O. W. HOLMES, The Poet at the Breakfast-Table, iii. Why do … your digestive contrivances TAKE kindly to bread rather than toadstools?

  1889.  MARGARET OLIPHANT, A Poor Gentleman, xxxiv. She’s dreadful TAKING, that’s all. When she gets talking, you could just stop there for ever.

  2.  (old colloquial).—To blight; to injure: by infection, disease, grief, etc. As subs. = a witch’s charm. Hence TAKING = infections (still colloquial or provincial).

  c. 1332.  The Lyfe of Joseph of Armathia [E.E.T.S.], 47.

  1596.  SHAKESPEARE, Merry Wives of Windsor, iv. 4. 32. He blasts the tree and TAKES the Cattle. Ibid. (1596), Hamlet, i. 1. No fairy TAKES.

  1619.  FLETCHER, The False One, iv. 3.

  d. 1649.  J. WINTHROP, History of New England [SAVAGE], I. 201. Two shallops … were TAKEN in the night with an easterly storm.

  1678.  Quack’s Academy [Harleian Miscellany, II. 34.] He hath a TAKE upon him, or is planetstruck.

  1768.  GOLDSMITH, The Good-Natured Man, i. A plague TAKE their balderdash.

  3.  (old colloquial).—To deliver a blow; to strike.

  c. 1430.  The Destruction of Troy [E.E.T.S.], 6394. Ector … TOKE his horse with his helis.

  1619.  FLETCHER, The Humourous Lieutenant, ii. 2. A rascal TAKES him o’er the face, and fells him.

  1625–30.  The Court and Times of Charles the First, I. 156. Mr. William Vaux TOOK Mr. Knightly a blow on the face.

  4.  (conventional).—To admit to sexual intercourse (of women): also TO TAKE UP ONE’S PETTICOATS TO = to receive a man: see RIDE and GREENS for numerous combinations. See CARROTS.

  1672.  RAY, Proverbs, ‘Proverbial Sentences.’ A maid that TAKETH yieldeth. Ibid. A maid that laughs is half TAKEN. Ibid. Do as the maids do, say no, and TAKE IT.

  5.  (conventional).—To be got with child: see HOLD.

  PHRASES AND COLLOQUIALISMS.—TAKE has been, and still is, much in colloquial use. Thus, TO TAKE BACK = to retract; TO TAKE A BREATH = to consider, to seek advice; TO TAKE AFTER = to resemble; TO TAKE ABOUT THE NECK = to embrace; TO TAKE ANYONE FORTH = to teach, to give a start; TO BE TAKEN BY THE FACE = to be put to the blush; TO TAKE BEEF = to run away; TO TAKE DOWN = (1) to humiliate (see PEG); (2) to best (Australian); TO TAKE UP = to reprove (also TO TAKE TO DO, TO TASK, and A TALKING TO); TO TAKE HEART = to pluck up courage; TO TAKE TO HEART = to grieve; TO TAKE IT OUT = (1) to get value, to extort or compel satisfaction or reparation; and (2) = to exhaust; TO TAKE ONE (or IT) = to understand; TO TAKE IN = (1) to deceive, to swindle (whence a TAKE-IN [BEE] = fraud, humbug); (2) = to believe; (3) = to capture, subdue, seize (B. E); TO TAKE OFF = (1) to kill (TAKING-OFF = death); (2) = to ridicule, to mimic (TAKE-OFF = a caricature); TO TAKE OUT = to copy; TO TAKE ON (or BY) = (1) to grieve, to show emotion (hence TAKING = a to-do); and (2) = to simulate; TO TAKE ONE (or A MATTER) ON = (1) to engage, to accept as an opponent, (2) to undertake; TO TAKE TO (or UP) = generic for doing (e.g., to take to gambling, early rising, women, etc.); TO TAKE TO ONE’S LEGS (a SHUTE, WATER, etc.) = to fly: see HEELS, adding quots. infra; TO TAKE UP (old = TO TAKE) = (1) to arrest; (2) to stop; (3) to reform; (4) to clear up (prov. of the weather); (5) to protect, to defend; (6) to borrow; (7) to rally, to snub; and (8) to understand; TO TAKE UPON = to suspect; TO TAKE UPON ONESELF = to arrogate authority, dignity, etc.; TO TAKE WITH = to side with; TO TAKE UP WITH = (1) to consort with; (2) to court; (3) to endure; and (4) to adopt; TO TAKE THE GLOSS OFF = to detract in value; TO TAKE THE FIELD = to bet against the favourite; TO TAKE UP ONE’S CONNECTIONS (American university) = to leave college; TO TAKE AN OATH = to take a drink; TO TAKE ONE ALONG (or WITH ONE) = to make understand; TO TAKE ONE’S TEETH TO ANYTHING = to set to heartily; TO TAKE A STICK TO = to beat; TO TAKE (or SIT AT) ONE’S EASE IN ONE’S INN = to enjoy oneself: as if one were at home (hence, TAKING IT EASY = drunk); TAKE IT AS YOU LIKE = be angry or not—as you please (BEE). Also (proverbial) ‘TO TAKE from one’s right side to give to one’s left’; ‘TO TAKE ONE UP before he is down’; ‘TO TAKE the bird by the feet’; ‘TAKE all, and pay the baker’; ‘TO TAKE a Burford bait’ (= to get drunk); ‘TO TAKE a dagger and drown oneself’; ‘TO TAKE a HAIR (q.v.) of the same dog’; ‘TO TAKE a thing in SNUFF’ (q.v.); ‘TO TAKE a WRONG SOW (q.v.) by the ear’; ‘TO TAKE counsel of one’s pillow’; ‘TO TAKE heart of grace’; ‘TO TAKE Hector’s cloak’ (= to deceive a friend); ‘TO TAKE one a PEG (q.v.) lower’; ‘TO TAKE physic before one is sick’; ‘Who TAKES an eel by the tail and a woman by her word, may say, that he holds nothing.’ See HUFF; PEPPER; TEA.

  c. 1440.  Merlin [E.E.T.S.], i. 13. As soone as the Iuges knowe ther-of, they well make yow TO BE TAKE FOR couetyse of your londes and herytage, and do Iustice vpon yow.

  1470.  Rev. Monk Evesham [ARBER], 72 [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, i. 322. TAKE stands for intelligere, as in our ‘I TAKE IT’].

  1530.  PALSGRAVE, Langue Francoyse, etc. [HALLIWELL, s.v. Sterracles]. I TAKE ONNE, as one dothe that playeth his sterakels, je tempeste. Ibid. TAKE him UP (= reprove).

  1569–70.  The Marriage of Wit and Science [DODSLEY, Old Plays (HAZLITT), ii. 350].

  [?].  Political Poems [E.E.T.S.], 73.

  1591.  GREENE, Farwell to Folly [STEEVENS]. The beggar Irus that haunted the palace of Penelope, would TAKE HIS EASE IN HIS INNE, as well as the peers of Ithaca.

  1593.  PEELE, Edward the First, p. 395. I’ll TAKE YOU DOWN a button-hole.

  1594.  SHAKESPEARE, 2 Henry VI., ii. 5.

  1596.  SPENSER, A View of the Present State of Ireland. Doe you thinke … it is soe harde to TAKE HIM DOUNE as some suppose?

  1599.  JONSON, Every Man out of his Humour, i. 1. I will TAKE UP, and bring myself in credit sure.

  1601.  HOLLAND, Pliny, Preface to the Reader. Nicophanes (a famous painter in his time) gaue his mind wholly to antique pictures, partly to exemplifie and TAKE OUT their patternes after that in long continuance of time they were decaied.

  c. 1603.  HEYWOOD, A Woman Killed with Kindness [PEARSON, (1876), II. 94].

  1607.  DEKKER and WEBSTER, Northward Hoe, ii. 1. My father could TAKE UP, upon the bareness of his word, five hundred pound, and five too. Ibid., i. They will TAKE UP, I warrant you, where they may be trusted.

  1611.  COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v. TANSER, to chide, rebuke, checke, taunt, reprove, TAKE UP.

  1616.  R. C., The Times’ Whistle [E.E.T.S.], 24, l. 675.

  1622.  BACON, An Advertisement Touching an Holy War [ed. SPEDDING], xiii. 201. Pollio. You TAKE me right (Eupolis).

  1625.  BACON, Apophthegms, 56. Mr. Marbury the preacher would say; That God was fain to deal with wicked men as men do with frisking jades in a pasture, that cannot TAKE THEM UP till they get them to a gate; so wicked men will not be taken up till the hour of death.

  1628.  EARLE, Microcosmographie, 2. He TAKES ON against the Pope without mercy, and has a iest still in lauender for Bellarmine.

  d. 1631.  DONNE, Letters, xlvii. Sir, it is time to TAKE UP.

  1632.  MASSINGER, The Emperor of the East, i. 1.

  [?].  Apologie for Ajax, D. D. 1 b. At last, to TAKE UP the quarrel, M. A. and M. R. S. set downe their order that he should not be called any more captaine Ajax.

  1643.  SIR R. BAKER, A Chronicle of the Kings of England, 183. A maid called la Pucelle, TAKING UPON HER to be sent from God, for the good of France.

  1651.  CARTWRIGHT, The Royall Slave, i., 1. Arch. Sirrah Gaolor, see you send Mistris Turne-key your wife to TAKE US UP whores enough.

  d. 1657.  W. BRADFORD, History of Plymouth Plantation, 10. Some were TAKEN and clapt up in prison.

  1657.  MIDDLETON, Women beware Women, i. 1.

  1672.  WYCHERLEY, Love in a Wood, The Epistle Dedicatory. Madam, TAKE IT from me, no Man with Papers in’s hand, is more dreadful than a Poet.

  1703.  FARQUHAR, The Inconstant, iv. 3. ’Tis my turn now to be upon the sublime, I’ll TAKE HER OFF, I warrant her.

  1704.  STEELE, The Lying Lover, ii. 1. My dear friend, you don’t TAKE ME—Your friendship outruns my explanation.

  1714.  Newest Academy of Compliments [NARES]. All their beds were TAKEN UP; and he had ne’er a room to spare neither, but one.

  1731.  SWIFT, On the Death of Dr. Swift.

  1743–5.  R. POCOCKE, A Description of the East, I. 165. An officer … TAKES UP all persons he finds committing any disorders, or that cannot give an account of themselves, or that walk in the streets at irregular hours.

  1746.  WALPOLE, To George Montagu, Esq., 12 June, in Letters, II. 28. She has lived so rakish a life, that she is obliged to go and TAKE UP.

  1749.  SMOLLETT, Gil Blas (1812), I. iii. Everyone BETAKING himself TO HIS HEELS for safety.

  1753.  RICHARDSON, The History of Sir Charles Grandison, i. 39. TAKEN IN, as he calls it, rather by the eyes than by the understanding.

  1763.  FOOTE, The Mayor of Garratt, ii. Mrs. Sneak. … Don’t all the world cry … Miss Molly Jollup to be married to Sneak; to TAKE UP at last with such a noddle as he? Sneak. Ay, and glad enough you could catch me: You know you was pretty near your last legs.

  1766.  H. BROOKE, The Fool of Quality, i. 370. He … perfectly counterfeited or TOOK OFF, as they call it, the real Christian.

  1777.  SHERIDAN, The School for Scandal, iii. 1. The great point, as I TAKE IT, is to be exorbitant enough in your demands. Ibid. (1778), The Rivals, iii. 1. An obstinate, passionate, self-willed boy!—Who can he TAKE AFTER? Ibid. (1779), The Critic, i. 1. A band of critics, who TAKE UPON them to decide for the whole town.

  1782.  BURNEY, Cecilia, v. 55. You TAKE me? [on propounding a pun]. Ibid., A TAKE-IN.

  1809.  MALKIN, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 13. Why do you TAKE ON so?… You ought rather to bless your stars for your good luck. Ibid., 15. Leonarda and Domingo were completely TAKEN IN.

  1812.  COMBE, Dr. Syntax, i. 4.

  1814.  AUSTEN, Mansfield Park, v. I know so many who have married … who have found themselves entirely deceived…. What is this but a TAKE IN?… But I would not have him TAKEN IN: I would not have him duped.

  1817.  SCOTT, Rob Roy, xv. I dinna believe he speaks gude Latin neither; at least he disna TAKE ME UP when I tell him the learned names of the plants. Ibid. (1828), Aunt Margaret’s Mirror, i. Her sister hurt her own cause by TAKING ON, as the maid-servants call it, too vehemently.

  1837.  DICKENS, Pickwick Papers, xlii. Mr. Mivins, who was no smoker … remained in bed, and, in his own words, ‘TOOK IT OUT in sleep.’

  1843.  MACAULAY, Mirabeau [Edinburgh Review]. They TOOK UP WITH theories because they had no experience of good government.

  1847.  ROBB, Streaks of Squatter Life, 149. ‘Why, Polly,’ inquired he, ‘what’s the matter, gal?… what the thunder makes you TAKE ON so?’

  1851–61.  H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, I. 31. If … I catch him, I TAKE IT OUT OF him on the spot. I give him a jolly good hiding. Ibid., I. 326. Anybody that looks on the board looks on us as cheats and humbugs, and thinks that our catalogues are all TAKES-IN.

  1852.  Bee (Boston), 29 July. The ‘Life Boat,’ a weekly sheet in this city, TAKES the ‘Bee’ TO DO for its course in relation to the Liquor Law.

  1857.  T. HUGHES, Tom Brown’s School-days, I. vii. They tried back slowly … beginning to feel how the run had TAKEN IT OUT of them.

  1865.  DICKENS, Our Mutual Friend, IV. xiii. Mrs. and Mr. Boffin (as the saying is) ‘TOOK IT OUT OF’ the Inexhaustible [the baby] in a shower of caresses.

  1867.  MACLEOD, The Starling, v. ‘I do not TAKE YOU UP, sir,’ replied the Sergeant.

  1868.  WHYTE-MELVILLE, The White Rose, II. xxii. There’s Missis walking about the drawing-room TAKING ON awful.

  1868.  W. S. GILBERT, Bab Ballads, ‘Phrenology.’

  1873.  CARLETON, Farm Ballads, 19, ‘Betsey and I Are out.’

  1878–80.  JUSTIN MCCARTHY, A History of Our Own Times, xli. Some critics declared that Mr. Cobden had been simply TAKEN IN; that the French Emperor had ‘bubbled’ him.

  1883.  MALCOLM MACCOLL The Prospects of the Conservative Party, in The Gentleman’s Magazine, June, 569. It is curious that so able a man could have believed that he could in this way TAKE IN the British public.

  1884.  C. READE, Art, 174. She was always mimicking. She TOOK OFF the exciseman, and the farmers, and her grandmother, and the very parson—how she used to make us laugh!

  1885.  W. D. HOWELLS, The Rise of Silas Lapham, xv. I ’ve disgusted you,—I see that; but I didn’t mean to. I—I TAKE IT BACK.

  1887.  A. JESSOPP, Arcady for Better for Worse, ii. He TOOK UP (borrowed) £500 of Lawyer X … and then somehow he war bankrupt.

  1895.  Argus [Melbourne], 5 Dec., 5. 2. [The defendant] accused him of having TAKEN HIM DOWN, stigmatised him as a thief and a robber.

  1897.  MARSHALL, Pomes, 107. He was ‘dicky,’ She was tricky—TOOK HIM IN, and cleared him out.

  See ABACK; BACK-SEAT; BEARD; BEEF; BIT; BOOK; BOSOM; BULL; BUSH; BUTTONHOLE; CAKE; EARTH BATH; EASE; FRENCH LEAVE; GRINDER; GROUND SWEAT; HEELS; HOOK; MEASURE; NAPPING; PEG; PEPPER; POT-LUCK; RAG; RISE; ROAD; RUNNING; SHILLING; SHINE; SIGHT; SILK; SNUFF; STARCH; SUN; TOLL; TURN; VAIN; WIND.