undertake
to take upon oneself, as a task, performance, etc.; attempt: She undertook the job of answering all the mail.
to promise, agree, or obligate oneself (followed by an infinitive): The married couple undertook to love, honor, and cherish each other.
to warrant or guarantee (followed by a clause): The sponsors undertake that their candidate meets all the requirements.
to take in charge; assume the duty of attending to: The lawyer undertook a new case.
Archaic. to engage oneself by promise; give a guarantee, or become surety.
Origin of undertake
1Other words from undertake
- pre·un·der·take, verb (used with object), pre·un·der·took, pre·un·der·tak·en, pre·un·der·tak·ing.
Words Nearby undertake
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use undertake in a sentence
We undertook extra mechanical checks which we believed had resolved the issue and informed the supplier.
HumanForest suspends London e-bike sharing service, cuts jobs after customer accident | Natasha Lomas | September 25, 2020 | TechCrunchScientists around the world are currently undertaking one of the fastest vaccine-development programs in history, trying to get the novel coronavirus under control as quickly as humanly possible.
How To Know When You Can Trust A COVID-19 Vaccine | Maggie Koerth (maggie.koerth-baker@fivethirtyeight.com) | September 23, 2020 | FiveThirtyEightEveryone should also remember that in our daily lives, each of us undertakes activities that pose at least a little risk to others.
Philosophy And Psychology Agree – Yelling At People Who Aren’t Wearing Masks Won’t Work | LGBTQ-Editor | September 21, 2020 | No Straight NewsIn it, 1,000 subjects undertook a three-month exercise program to see whether it would lower their blood pressure.
Why Altitude Training Helps Some but Not Others | Alex Hutchinson | September 11, 2020 | Outside OnlineNASA and Boeing subsequently undertook a comprehensive review of Boeing’s software development program, as well as the agency’s own practices surrounding the public-private partnership, and determined a number of corrective actions.
Boeing and NASA target December for second try at uncrewed orbital demonstration flight | Darrell Etherington | August 28, 2020 | TechCrunch
(1) Only charities and non-profits should ask for unpaid workers to staff their operations or undertake time-consuming projects.
“However, it is still unclear to me if the U.S. and its allies are prepared to undertake such a comprehensive approach,” he says.
Obama's Iraq-Syria Dilemma: No Force Now on the Ground Can Beat ISIS | Jamie Dettmer | August 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHis gun is available to anyone willing to undertake a few minutes of Internet research.
Pronouncing illegality, governments will often undertake demolitions of slum houses.
She will be remembered as a strong leader and a person willing to undertake difficult tasks to achieve long-term objectives.
Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan: The Ultimate ’80s Power Couple | George Shultz | April 8, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTWe are ourselves satisfied, and undertake to demonstrate to our readers, that this question must be answered in the affirmative.
He thus probably acquired sufficient confidence to undertake and perform the operation himself.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2) | Francis TrevithickThe work which he gives countenance to some to undertake, according to his own good pleasure, he commits to others.
The Ordinance of Covenanting | John CunninghamPassage over it is often one of the most difficult feats to accomplish which the Alpine explorer has to undertake.
Outlines of the Earth's History | Nathaniel Southgate ShalerBe sure, before you accept any invitation to play, that you know perfectly the piece you undertake.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness | Florence Hartley
British Dictionary definitions for undertake
/ (ˌʌndəˈteɪk) /
(tr) to contract to or commit oneself to (something) or (to do something): to undertake a job; to undertake to deliver the goods
(tr) to attempt to; agree to start
(tr) to take (someone) in charge
(intr foll by for) archaic to make oneself responsible (for)
(tr) to promise
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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