Undertake
Contents
English
Verb
Undertake (third-person singular simple present undertakes, present participle undertaking, simple past undertook, past participle undertaken)
- (transitive) To take upon oneself; to start, to embark on (a specific task etc.).
- He undertook a course of medication.
- (intransitive) To commit oneself (to an obligation, activity etc.).
- He undertook to take more exercise in future.
- (informal) to overtake on the wrong side.
- I hate people that try and undertake on the motorway.
- (archaic, intransitive) To pledge; to assert, assure; to dare say.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VII:
- "I have now aspyed one knyght," he seyde, "that woll play hys play at the justys, I undirtake."
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VII:
- (obsolete, transitive) To take by trickery; to trap, to seize upon.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book IX:
- So Sir Trystram endured there grete payne, for syknes had undirtake hym – and that ys the grettist payne a presoner may have [...].
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book IX:
Notes
- Sense: To commit oneself. This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive.
- See Appendix:English catenative verbs
Derived terms
Adverbs for Undertake
sporadically; rashly; reluctantly; successfully; boldly; ill-advisedly; illicitly; scientifically; desperately; hazardously; perilously; grimly; ridicuously; arduously; financially.
Thesaurus
accept, accept obligation, agree, agree to, answer for, approach, assay, assume, attack, attempt, bargain, bargain for, be answerable for, be responsible for, be security for, begin, bind, buckle to, carry on, certify, chance, commence, commit, compact, conduct, contract, covenant, dive into, do, do a deal, embark in, embark on, embark upon, employ, endeavor, engage, engage in, enter on, enter upon, essay, exercise, fall into, fall to, follow, get busy, get cracking, get going, get under way, get with it, go about, go at, go bail for, go in for, go into, go to it, go upon, guarantee, have an understanding, have at, hop to it, jump to it, launch forth, launch into, lay about, lift a finger, light into, make a deal, make an attempt, make an effort, move into, obligate, offer, pass, pitch in, pitch into, pledge, plunge into, practice, proceed to, promise, prosecute, pursue, sail into, seek, set about, set at, set forward, set going, set to, set to work, shake hands on, specialize in, stand back of, start, start in, stipulate, strive, struggle, swear, tackle, take on, take the vows, take to, take up, try, turn to, use, venture, venture on, venture upon, vow, wade into, wage, warrant, work at
Etymology
under- + take (after undernim).
Pronunciation
Translations
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