undertake

English Online Dictionary. What means undertake‎? What does undertake mean?

English

Alternative forms

• undirtake (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English undertaken; equivalent to under- +‎ take (after undernim).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ʌndəˈteɪk/
• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˌʌndɚˈteɪk/
• (General Australian, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /andəˈtæɪk/
• Rhymes: -eɪk

Verb

undertake (third-person singular simple present undertakes, present participle undertaking, simple past undertook, past participle undertaken)

1. (transitive) To take upon oneself; to start, to embark on (a specific task etc.).
2. (intransitive) To commit oneself (to an obligation, activity etc.).
3. (British, informal) To pass a slower moving vehicle on the curbside rather than on the side closest to oncoming traffic.

   Antonym: overtake

4. (archaic, intransitive) To pledge; to assert, assure; to dare say.
5. (obsolete, transitive) To take by trickery; to trap, to seize upon.
6. (obsolete) To assume, as a character; to take on.
7. (obsolete) To engage with; to attack, take on in a fight.
8. (obsolete) To have knowledge of; to hear.
9. (obsolete) To have or take charge of.

Usage notes

• Sense: To commit oneself. This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive.
• See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Derived terms

• undertaker
• undertaking

Translations

Noun

undertake (plural undertakes)

1. (British, informal) The passing of slower traffic on the curbside rather than on the side closest to oncoming traffic.

   Antonym: overtake