taking
HighNeutral
Definition
Meaning
The action of acquiring possession, control, or removing something.
Can refer to the act of capturing, photographing, recording, or accepting something. Also used to describe a person's charisma or attractive qualities.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Functions as a noun or a present participle/adjective. As a noun, it often refers to proceeds or revenue. As an adjective, 'taking' can describe someone captivating.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Very minor. The noun use referring to 'receipts' is slightly more common in UK business contexts.
Connotations
Identical core meaning; 'taking' as an adjective for a charming person is slightly archaic in both.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
taking [object]taking [object] from [source]taking [object] to [destination]taking [object] for [reason]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “What's your take on this?”
- “It takes one to know one.”
- “Take it or leave it.”
- “Take the cake.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to revenue or profit, e.g., 'The day's takings were down.'
Academic
Used in processes, e.g., 'The taking of measurements was meticulous.'
Everyday
Very common for actions, e.g., 'I'm taking a walk.'
Technical
Used in photography ('taking a shot'), medicine ('taking medication'), or law ('taking possession').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She is taking the children to school.
- The council is taking decisive action.
- Are you taking the lift?
American English
- He's taking a vacation next week.
- The company is taking a different approach.
- I'm taking the subway.
adjective
British English
- He was a man of most taking charm.
- The puppy was quite taking with its playful antics.
American English
- She had a taking smile that lit up the room.
- His taking manner made him very popular.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I am taking a book from the shelf.
- She is taking a photo.
- The museum forbids the taking of photographs inside.
- Taking his advice, I applied for the job.
- Risk-taking is an essential part of entrepreneurship.
- The taking of hostages was condemned internationally.
- Her taking manner belied a shrewd intelligence.
- The film's takings exceeded all expectations.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a photographer taking a picture – the action of capturing an image is a perfect example of 'taking'.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A RESOURCE (taking time), UNDERSTANDING IS GRASPING (taking in information), CONTROL IS HOLDING (taking charge).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Common Mistakes
- Using 'taking' without an auxiliary verb for future ('I taking' instead of 'I am taking').
- Confusing 'taking' (action) with 'taken' (completed action).
- Overusing literal translation from L1, e.g., 'taking a decision' (less common) vs. 'making a decision'.
Practice
Quiz
In a business context, 'takings' most closely refers to:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be both. As a noun (gerund), it refers to the action or the proceeds (e.g., 'the taking of evidence', 'box office takings'). It is most commonly seen as the present participle of the verb 'take'.
'Take' is the base form (infinitive) or simple present tense. 'Taking' is the present participle, used to form continuous tenses (is taking) or as a gerund/noun (Taking risks is exciting).
Yes, though it's less common and somewhat formal/literary. It means 'captivating' or 'attractive', e.g., 'a taking smile'.
Using it as the main verb without an auxiliary (e.g., 'I taking a shower' is wrong; it must be 'I am taking a shower').