take on

British  

verb

1. to employ or hire

   to take on new workmen

2. to assume or acquire

   his voice took on a plaintive note

3. to agree to do; undertake

   I'll take on that job for you

4. to compete against, oppose, or fight

   I will take him on at tennis

   I'll take him on any time

5. informal (intr) to exhibit great emotion, esp grief

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take on Idioms  

1. Undertake or begin to deal with, as in I took on new responsibilities , or She took on too much when she accepted both assignments . [Early 1300s]

2. Hire, engage, as in We take on extra workers during the busy season . [Early 1600s]

3. Oppose in competition, as in This young wrestler was willing to take on all comers . [Late 1800s]

4. Display strong emotion, as in Don't take on so . [ Colloquial ; early 1400s]

5. Acquire as, or as if, one's own, as in He took on the look of a prosperous banker . [Late 1700s]

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Example Sentences

Less than 12 months later, the Patriots are back in the Super Bowl taking on the Seattle Seahawks with a chance to win a record seventh Lombardi Trophy.

From The Wall Street Journal

You might think this is something that social media companies could take on.

From BBC

Policy uncertainty taking on a bigger role in the eyes of investors doesn’t mean that macroeconomic fundamentals — such as economic growth, business cycle and corporate earnings — no longer matter.

From MarketWatch

First, it generally does not make sense to take on new long-term debt in your 70s if you have sufficient assets to pay cash.

From MarketWatch

While his words were meant to convey spiritual meaning, they have taken on new significance centuries later.

From Science Daily