(a) To grip, take hold; ~ to, clutch at (sb.), hold tight to; also, grasp [transl. of L adprehendere]; (b) to take hold of (sb. or sth.), grasp with the hand(s, grab; pick (sb. or sth.) up, lift up; also fig. & in fig. context; ~ bridel with teth, fig. take the bit between one's teeth (to do sth.); ~ in (on) honde, grasp (sth.) in one's hand, hold in one's hand; also, with prep. and refl.pron.: ~ to (unto), take (sb. or sth.) to oneself, hold close; fig. take to oneself (that which may conduce to malice or heaviness of heart), embrace (equity, wisdom); (c) ~ abouten the nekke (swire), to embrace (sb.) about the neck; ~ bi honde, take (sb.) by the hand or hands; ~ bi the bridel, get control of (a horse) by grasping its bridle; also, hold (a horseman) by grasping the bridle of his horse; ~ bi the helm, grab (sb.) by the helmet; ~ bi the kne, clasp (sb.) by the knee; ~ bi the nose, interrupt (sb.); ~ bi the reine, take hold of (a horse) by grasping its reins; ~ bi the sleve, hold (sb.) by the sleeve, pluck (someone's) sleeve to engage his or her attention; ~ bi the tail, grab (Antichrist) by the tail; ~ bi the temples, grab (sb.) about the temples; ~ bi the top, grab (sb., oneself) by the hair; ~ honde bi honde, refl. join hands; ~ in (on) armes, embrace (sb., a statue, etc.); ~ in honde, take (sb.) by the hand, take hold of (sb.) with (one's) hand, shake hands with (sb.) [cp. OI taka i hendr]; also, take (sb.) in one's company [quot. a1325]; ~ in lappe, take (a bird) into (one's lap); ~ in-to armes, take (an infant) into (one's) arms, hold; ~ in winges, of a bird: enfold (another bird) in its wings, embrace; ~ inwith armes, encircle (sth.) with (one's) arms; ~ to (with) honde, take hold of (sb.) with the hand;—used fig.; (d) with selected adverbs: ~ adoun, to pull down (a wall); ~ doun, help (sb.) dismount from a horse, lift down; take (sb.) down from a cross; lower or take down (a sail, mast, etc.); dismantle (a structure), tear down; ~ to, lift up (someone's spirit); take into one's hand (a stick) [quot. c1384, 1st]; ~ up, lift up (sb. or sth.), pick up; pull up (a sapling, tent); dig up (bones), disinter (a corpse); raise (sb., an idol) to a standing position; raise (one's hand); ben taken awei from, ben taken up of, be lifted up from (the earth); (e) ~ armes (sword, wepenes), ~ armures until us, to take up arms (a sword, weapons), join battle; ~ armure, take arms; also, enter military service [quot. a1398]; also fig. & in fig. context; ~ crois, ~ cros on honde, become a bishop or an archbishop; (f) with diminished force, in conjunction with another verb which conveys the chief semantic sense [sometimes difficult to distinguish from (a)]: to take something (and do sth. else); take (sth. and do sth. to it or perform some operation with it); cook. & med. take (an ingredient or an amount of sth. and do sth. to or with it); (g) in proverbs.

(a) To pick up and put or place (sb. or sth. on oneself, one's back, etc.), take up in order to carry; also fig.; ~ in bosom (sleve), put (stones) into (one's) bosom (the sleeve of one's garment) in order to carry them concealed; ~ in nekke, hang (a cudgel) around one's neck; (b) to touch (sb. or sth.), lay the hand on; also in fig. context; (c) with inf.: to put (sth. in a place to do sth.); (d) with diminished force, in conjunction with another verb: to take (one's finger and do sth. with it); (e) ~ on honde in, to plant (sth.) in (a trench), place, set.

(a) To penetrate, pierce; penetrate and stick (in a surface); ~ in-to, of a sword's pomel: stick in (the earth); of a blade: stick in (the flesh); ~ until, of a swordpoint: pierce to (the throat); (b) of a portion of a shield: to receive (a thrusting spear), catch; (c) of a surface: to receive (painted figures).

Fig. Of a person: to be grasping, be greedy.

(a) To seize someone by force; take someone into custody, make an arrest; seize (sb., a soul, etc.), take with force; apprehend (sb.), arrest; capture (sb.), take (sb.) prisoner; also, have (sb.) seized; also fig.; bring (a woman) forcibly into one's household [quot. a1325(c1250)]; in partitive construction with of phrase: seize some of (our knights); ~ hostages, take hostages; ~ plegge, take (sb.) hostage; ~ prisoner, take a prisoner; also, take (sb.) prisoner; with adverbs: ~ awei, capture (sb.); ~ bitwene, intercept and seize (sb.); ~ up, seize (sb.), arrest; also, with selected prep. phrases: ~ bi bodi, seize (sb.) bodily; ~ in (in-to, to) hostage, ~ to baille, take (sb.) into (one's) custody by putting up bail, go bail for (sb.); ~ to plegge, take (sb.) into custody as a hostage, take (sb.) hostage; ben taken in baille to, be taken into (someone's) custody on bail put up by (that person), be held on bond to (sb.); ben taken in honde, be made captive; (b) to catch (sb.) in wrongdoing, discover or detect (sb. doing sth. illegal, sinful, etc.); ~ at (in, with), catch (sb.) in (a wrongful act, falsehood, etc.); convict (sb.) of (a crime, heresy); ~ in tale (wordes), catch (sb.) making an inconsistent or improper remark; taken of insuspecioun, of the eyes: detected or caught out indulging in secret suspicions; traitour taken and preved, a detected and proven traitor; (c) ~ til, to impute responsibility to (sb.), hold accountable; (d) to find (sb.), discover; recover (a friend), find again; as he is taken, as he finds himself, according to his circumstances; (e) ben taken, game. of a person: to have one's game piece or pieces captured, lose one's piece;—in fig. context; (f) in proverbs.

(a) To prevail; of love, sickness: take hold, afflict someone; ~ on, take effect on (sb.); ~ over, prevail over (one's resolve), overcome; (b) of death, sleep, etc.: to overcome (sb.); of a sickness, pain, etc.: afflict (sb., the body); of venom: infect or poison (sb.); of drink: overcome (the brain), intoxicate; also, with adv.: ~ up, of sudden death: take (a household), overwhelm; ben taken, be oppressed with thirst; ben taken in (with), be afflicted with (a condition, sickness, etc.); ben taken with disposicioun toward, be disposed to (a pathological condition); (c) of the devil, an evil spirit, elf, etc.: to take control of (sb., a soul), possess (sb.); of God: take custody of (sb.); of divine anger, a curse, temptation, etc.: overpower (sb.), overwhelm; ben taken of (with), be possessed by (the devil, an evil spirit, etc.); (d) of an emotion, a fit of weeping, desire, sloth, etc.: to overcome (sb.); of someone's person or attributes: cause (sb.) to be overcome with desire, captivate; of a development, an event: overwhelm (sb.); taken upon, overcome by grief; (e) to win over (sb., a soul by trickery), hoodwink, deceive.

Fig. To seize (one's advantage); ~ time, take advantage of (one's) opportunity.

(a) To take possession of something, esp. selfishly, wrongfully, or forcibly; steal; also, in partitive construction with of phrase: ~ to hem of, appropriate to themselves some of (Holy Church's goods); finden litel to ~ to, find little to appropriate, find little to plunder; (b) to seize (a castle, ship, city, etc.) by military action, capture; take possession of (sth.) by force; confiscate (goods, money), take (spoils); arrest (a ship); steal (sth.); also fig.; also, appropriate (sth. for one's own use); with prep. and refl.pron.: ~ on (to), appropriate (sth.) to (oneself); ~ preie, seize booty, steal an object [see also preie n.(2) 1.(b)]; also, with adverbs: ~ awei (up), seize (sth.) by force, arrest (a ship); ~ in, appropriate (a piece of land) wrongfully, encroach on illegally; (c) to accede (to rulership) [1st quot.]; gain rulership over (a kingdom); ~ coroune, take the crown, become ruler; ~ ever-lasting lif, fig. lay hold upon everlasting life, seize the eternal life; ~ possessioun, acquire territory, get control of a piece of property; gain a kingdom; also, gain possession (of sth.); ~ seisine (seisinge), take seizin, take possession or control; establish one's authority [quot. a1425 Siege Troy(1)]; ~ to (upon), take to (oneself rulership of an empire or a kingdom); (d) ~ in (in-to) honde (possessioun), to take (sth., a country) into one's possession, seize, take control of; confiscate (goods); (e) chess to capture (a piece) in chess; ~ up.

(a) To appropriate (a right); ~ upon hem-self licence, take to themselves license (to do sth.); (b) ~ place, to take (someone's) place, replace (sb.);—used fig.

(a) To capture prey [quot. ?c1450]; capture and kill (an animal) in a hunt, hunt (prey) to kill, get (meat, venison) by hunting; catch (fish, a bird, etc.); also, capture alive (wild horses); seize (an animal) in order to slaughter it; of an animal, a bird of prey, spider: catch (prey), seize (another animal, bird, etc.); of a net: take (a fish, bird), ensnare; of a cobweb: catch (an insect); also in conventional comparisons and proverbs; ~ nede of, catch a needed amount of (fish); also, with adv.: ~ up, seize and slaughter (a horse as meat for hawks); ppl. taken as adj., in phrase: huntinge taken, prey which is caught, the spoils of the hunt; (b) fig. to hunt and catch (sb.), snare (sb., someone's foot), fish for and catch (a soul, the devil), pursue (a shadow).

(a) To strike a blow, smite; make an attack; strike (sb.); attack (sb.) in battle; defeat (sb.) in combat, overthrow; strike (sb.) dead, kill; also, fig. of a sword: overtake (sb.), strike (sb.) down; ~ a stroke, deal (sb.) a blow; ben taken with dint of ded, die; (b) to spur (a horse); also, pat (a horse on the hindquarters) [quot. c1405]; ~ with spores, kick or strike (a horse) with the spurs; (c) ~ bite, of a spear: to strike a blow, hit; ~ honde with, ?attack against (sb.).

(a) To obtain (sth.), get; gain (victory), win (a prize); (b) to ask for and obtain (permission to leave); also fig.; ~ conge, ask for and obtain permission to leave; take (one's) leave, depart; ~ conge of (to), ~ conge and licence of, request permission to go from (sb.); take (one's) leave of (sb.); ~ leve, ask for and obtain permission to go, take (one's) leave; bid farewell; depart; also, abandon (sth.), quit [quot. c1475 (?a1440)]; die [quots. 1372 & ?a1400(a1338)]; ~ leve at (from, of, on), take leave of (sb. or sth.), bid farewell to (sb. or sth.); leave or abandon (sb. or sth.) [see also leve n.(2) 2.(b), (c)]; (c) in phrase with inf.: ~ leve, to ask for and obtain permission (to go, depart, etc.); (d) ~ avis (avisement, counseil), to obtain advice, get counsel; ~ red, get advice; also, with hou clause: get advice how (one might do sth.); (e) to procure (temporary lodgings on behalf of oneself or another person), hire; ~ (on) in, ~ up logginge; ~ hostel to his lordes honde, procure lodgings for his lord's use; (f) to rent (property), take a lease on, gain the use of in return for a fixed payment; ~ to ferme, law procure the use of or revenues from (a piece of property, tenement, town, etc.) in return for a fixed payment.

(a) To have a share, participate, partake; ~ of, partake of (earthly things, sexual gratification, etc.); participate in (virtuous acts); (b) ~ part, to have a share, participate; ~ part of, have a share in (sth., the Holy Spirit), partake of; also, participate in (the life of grace); take part in (the church).

To acquire (a habit), fall into.

(a) To lead or bring (sb., an animal) to or from a place, bring (sb.) somewhere; bring (sb.) along, escort (sb.); with inf.: carry (Christ) off (to suffer death), lead away; also, with indirect obj.: take (sb. with oneself), take (sb. in one's company) [quot. c1300]; fig. of discretion: guide (sb. in a matter) [quot. 1460]; ~ apart (bisides, on side), take (sb.) aside; ~ awei, lead (sb.) away; ~ bodi to religioun, take (one's) body to the religious life, enter a religious order; ~ forth, to lead (sb.) forth; to receive (sb.) in a place of honor [cp. sense 8.], push to the fore; ~ in, bring (sb.) inside; ~ in a counseil, bring (sb.) before a council; ~ in privete, take (sb.) aside privately; ~ oute, lead (sb.) out of a place; ~ over, transfer (sb. to a place), bring or carry away; ~ til (to), as prep.: carry off (a soul) to (hell); escort (sb.) to (sb.); lead or bring (sb.) to (prison); ~ to, as adv.: take (sb.) along (to a place) [quot. a1500(?a1325)]; ~ until, transport (Jesus' earthly flesh) to (God); (b) to lead (a band of troops, an army, etc.) in an action; assemble (an army, a group, etc.) prior to an action; ~ the first ward (the fore-warde), lead the first division, take the vanguard; with adverbs: ~ to, assemble or lead (a number of troops); ~ up, levy (troops); (c) to go and get (sb. or sth.), fetch; have (sb.) brought before one, summon (sb.); also, with indirect obj.: summon (sb. to oneself) [quot. c1440]; (d) to bring (sth.), carry (sth.) along; also fig.; take (sth. to a place); transport (a load); with adverbs: ~ in, bring (a captured ship) to port; ~ mid, bring (sth.) along, bring with one; (e) to bring (sb.) forward, produce (sb. in assertion of a claim); show (sth.), present; offer (sth.); also, with indirect obj.: show (sb. sth.), present (sth. to sb.); ~ forth (oute), bring (sth.) forward, present; bring (sth.) out, get out for use; ~ hider hondes and fet, offer (one's) hands and feet (to be bound); ~ oute of tonge, fig. put forth (what one has in one's heart) by means of (one's) tongue, speak out; (f) of a finger: to guide (a loop of silk thread through another loop) in lacemaking; of a road: convey (sb.); —used fig.; ~ to eres, make (a text) accessible to (someone's) ears; (g) of someone's inclinations: to conduce (to sth.); (h) with diminished force, in conjunction with another verb which conveys the chief semantic notion: to take or get (sb. and do sth. else).

(a) To receive (sb.) into one's company, care, etc.; take (a city) under one's protection; admit (sb.) to a guild, religious house, etc.; accept (sb.) to one's employ, tutelage, or service; accept (sb.) as a suitor of one's daughter [2nd quot.]; of God, Christ: receive (someone's soul), take (sb.) to himself, take (sb.) under his protection; of the earth: receive (sb.) in burial; with prep. and refl.pron.: ~ to (until), take (sb.) to (oneself), take (sb.) under (one's) protection; with adverbs: ~ in, receive (sb.) into one's household or service; also, of a grave: receive (a body), take in; ~ ner, become familiar or intimate with (sb.); ~ to, receive (sb.) into one's company; of God: take (sb.) to himself; ~ up, protect (sb.); (b) ~ at the font-ston, to receive (a child) at the baptismal font, stand as sponsor to; ~ in bondehede (theinhede), receive (sb.) into servitude; ~ in cure, ~ in (in-til, until) kepinge, ~ in ward, take (sb.) under one's care or protection, look after (sb.); ~ in-to (to) felaushipe, accept (sb.) as an associate; ~ in-to frendshipe, take (sb.) for a friend, enter into friendship with (sb.); ~ in-to lore, take (sb.) under one's tutelage; ~ in-to (to) servise, receive (sb.) into one's service or employ; ~ on honde, take (sb.) on as a patient, give medical care to; ~ to covenaunt, receive (sb.) into one's service or employ under legal contract; ~ to gest, receive (sb.) as a guest; ~ to lef, take (sb.) as (one's) lover; (c) ~ in-to pite, to be merciful to (sb.); ~ to (unto) grace, be merciful to (sb.); receive (sb.) with good will, grant one's good will to; of God: receive (sb.) into (his) grace; ~ to (unto) merci, pardon or forgive (sb.), be merciful to (a city); have mercy on (a lover), give (a lover) his desire; also, of God: receive (one who has died) into (his) presence [quots. c1450 & 1458]; ~ up to grace, accept (sb.) with love, love (sb.); (d) ~ to, to take on (an apprentice), take into one's employment; ~ with, look after (sb.), take care of; also, of God: receive (sb. who turns to him); (e) ~ til (to) herte, to take (sb.) to one's heart, hold (sb.) dear; (f) to take dominion over (animals), subjugate; (g) ppl. takinge as adj., in phrase: takinge gate, ?receiving gate, admitting gate [prob. from misunderstanding of L capenus adj. as if from capere; could also be construed as taking(e ger.].