undertake
Americanverb (used with object)
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to take upon oneself, as a task, performance, etc.; attempt.
She undertook the job of answering all the mail.
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to promise, agree, or obligate oneself (followed by an infinitive).
The married couple undertook to love, honor, and cherish each other.
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to warrant or guarantee (followed by a clause).
The sponsors undertake that their candidate meets all the requirements.
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to take in charge; assume the duty of attending to.
The lawyer undertook a new case.
verb (used without object)
verb
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(tr) to contract to or commit oneself to (something) or (to do something)
to undertake a job
to undertake to deliver the goods
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(tr) to attempt to; agree to start
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(tr) to take (someone) in charge
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archaic to make oneself responsible (for)
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(tr) to promise
Other Word Forms
- preundertake verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of undertake
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English undertaken; under-, take
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Building the fab is a multibillion-dollar undertaking; Tesla may seek partners, though some analysts suggest it could be a solo-funded project.
From Barron's
"It's very expensive to run a war," he said, noting that on a day-to-day basis, the Iran conflict "has to be up there with the costliest interventions the US has undertaken from a financial perspective."
From Barron's
For a president who needs to feel he's in control, was this a reflection of an undertaking already given, or a shot across Benjamin Netanyahu's bows?
From BBC
After a decade of marriage, Lamott and Allen have undertaken a professional collaboration whose outcome, like their union, is greater than the sum of its parts.
From Los Angeles Times
"The minimum levels of checks on staff that the provider must undertake are also set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage," they said.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
