take away
A2Neutral to Informal
Definition
Meaning
to remove something from a place, person, or situation; to subtract.
To cause a feeling, quality, or possibility to disappear; to buy food from a restaurant to eat elsewhere.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a phrasal verb, the meaning is often idiomatic and not purely compositional. The noun form 'takeaway' (UK) / 'takeout' (US) refers to food or the restaurant itself.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The noun form is 'takeaway' in British English and 'takeout' or 'to-go' in American English. The verb phrase is used in both.
Connotations
In UK, strongly associated with food; in US, the food sense is less dominant for the verb phrase.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK English due to the common food-related noun.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Someone] takes away [something] from [someone/somewhere].[Something] takes away [a feeling/quality].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “What's your takeaway from this?”
- “It takes away the sting.”
- “You can't take it away from him.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The new regulations could take away our competitive advantage.
Academic
The study's main takeaway was the correlation between sleep and memory.
Everyday
Can you take away the empty plates? We fancied a takeaway.
Technical
The filter takes away impurities from the water.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The teacher took away his mobile for disrupting the lesson.
- A good dessert takes away the taste of the spicy curry.
American English
- The police took away the suspect for questioning.
- That bright paint color takes away from the room's elegance.
adverb
British English
- We ordered the curry to take away.
American English
- I'd like that sandwich to go, please.
adjective
British English
- We're having a takeaway pizza tonight.
- The takeaway coffee was lukewarm by the time I got home.
American English
- We're having takeout pizza tonight.
- I grabbed a to-go coffee on my way to work.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Take away these cups, please.
- Five take away two is three.
- The medicine should take away the headache.
- My key takeaway from the film was to be kind.
- The scandal took away any chance of him being elected.
- Nothing can take away the joy of that moment.
- The ruling effectively takes away the rights of the minority shareholders.
- The garish décor takes away from the building's architectural merit.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a waiter taking away your finished plate (removing it) or taking away food in a bag (to eat elsewhere).
Conceptual Metaphor
POSSESSIONS ARE OBJECTS THAT CAN BE CARRIED OFF. EMOTIONS/QUALITIES ARE SUBSTANCES THAT CAN BE REMOVED.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'забрать' in all contexts. Does not mean 'to pick up' (someone). For food, 'takeaway' is a noun, not a verb in Russian structure.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'take off' instead of 'take away' for removal. Incorrect: 'He took off my phone.' Correct: 'He took away my phone.'
- Using the verb phrase for the food noun in US English: 'Let's get take away' (non-standard in US).
Practice
Quiz
In British English, 'a takeaway' most commonly refers to:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
As a verb phrase, it is two words: 'take away'. As a noun (chiefly British), it is one word: 'takeaway' (or hyphenated: 'take-away').
The most common American equivalents are 'takeout' or 'to-go food'.
Not directly. However, the noun 'takeaway' (or 'take-away') can mean the main point or lesson one understands from an experience: 'My key takeaway from the lecture was...'
Learners often use it without the necessary object or preposition. It usually requires a direct object (what is taken) and often 'from' (where it is taken from).