taking up

Verb

take up (third-person singular simple present takes up, present participle taking up, simple past took up, past participle taken up)

1. (transitive) To pick up.
   • I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Mark 2:11
2. (transitive) To remove (a ground or floor surface, including the bed of a road or the track of a railway).
   • We're going to have to take up the floorboards.
3. (transitive) To absorb (a liquid), to soak up.
4. (transitive) To shorten (a garment), especially by hemming.
   • If we take up the sleeves a bit, that shirt will look much better on you.

   Synonyms:

   take in

5. (transitive) To tighten or wind in (a rope, slack, etc.)
   • The reel automatically took up the slack.

   Synonyms:

   take in

6. (transitive) To occupy; to consume (space or time).
   • The books on finance take up three shelves.

See all 21 meanings of take up