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

See Examples For:

take on

From the outset, Timby's inaugural Ireland trip seemed to take on a life of its own.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Companies often take on the financial risk of new projects and then wait for a permit and corresponding funding—in some cases only to find the process gets stopped years later.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

"I am honoured to take on this dual role across Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani," Vitale, 43, said in a statement.

From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026

Later, he took the stage to accept the lead comedy actor prize for his optimistic but skeptical take on a mayor of a small, haunted island town in Apple TV’s horror comedy “Widow’s Bay.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

“Well, if I did take on a student—which I haven’t done in years, mind you—I certainly wouldn’t waste my time teaching someone who doesn’t want that scholarship...or have you changed your mind?”

From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins