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1. Any of various devices for reducing slack (as in a sewing machine) or taking up motion (as in a loom)
   "a take-up that winds photographic film on a spool"
    
2. The action of taking up as by tightening or absorption or reeling in

1. Pursue or resume
   "take up a matter for consideration"
    
2. Adopt
   "take up new ideas"
   - latch on, fasten on, hook on, seize on
    
3. Turn one's interest to
   "He took up herpetology at the age of fifty"
    
4. Take up time or space
   "take up the slack"
    
5. Begin work or acting in a certain capacity, office or job
   "Take up a position"
   - start
    
6. Take up and practice as one's own
   - adopt, borrow, take over
    
7. Occupy or take on
   "She took up her position behind the tree"
   - assume, take, strike
    
8. Take up a liquid or a gas either by adsorption or by absorption
   - sorb
    
9. Take out or up with or as if with a scoop
   - scoop, scoop out, lift out, scoop up
    
10. Accept
    "The cloth takes up the liquid"
    - take in
     
11. Take in, also metaphorically
    - absorb, suck, imbibe, soak up, sop up, suck up, draw, take in
     
12. Take up as if with a sponge
    - take in, sop up, suck in
     
13. Return to a previous location or condition
    "The painting took up its old condition when we restored it"
    - resume

Derived forms: taken up, taking up, takes up, took up, take-ups

See also: take

Type of: accept, adopt, change, change state, consume, device, embark, embrace, enter, espouse, fill, have, ingest, move, occupy, receive, remove, sweep up, take, take away, take in, tightening, turn, withdraw