took: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
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Quick answer
What does “took” mean?
Past tense of 'take': physically grasped, acquired, or removed something.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Past tense of 'take': physically grasped, acquired, or removed something.
Can also refer to the action of capturing, understanding, consuming, enduring, or requiring a specific amount of time or resources. Used figuratively for emotional responses or experiences.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Occasional minor differences in common collocations or preferences (e.g., UK 'took ill' vs. US 'got sick').
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “took” in a Sentence
NP __ NP (She took the book)NP __ NP PrepP (He took the cup from the shelf)NP __ NP AdjP (The news took him by surprise)NP __ NP NP (It took her three hours)NP __ AdvP (The plane took off)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “took” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She took the lift to the fifth floor.
- The film took ages to download.
American English
- He took the elevator to the fifth floor.
- The movie took forever to download.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
'The merger took place last quarter.'
Academic
'The researcher took a sample from the population.'
Everyday
'I took the dog for a walk.'
Technical
'The mechanic took the engine apart.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “took”
- Using 'taked' (hypercorrection). Confusing 'took' (past) with 'taken' (past participle). Incorrect: 'He has took the money.' Correct: 'He took the money' OR 'He has taken the money.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While its core meaning is physical, it is used extensively for non-physical actions: 'take time', 'take a decision', 'take offence', 'take a look'.
'Took' is the simple past tense form. 'Taken' is the past participle, used with auxiliary verbs 'have/has/had' to form perfect tenses (e.g., has taken, had taken) or in passive voice (e.g., was taken).
Yes. It is the standard, neutral past tense of 'take' and is appropriate for all registers, from informal speech to formal academic and business writing.
The structure 'It took [someone] [time]' is an impersonal construction focusing on the time required for the activity. 'I took an hour' would imply you actively seized the hour, which is not the intended meaning.
Past tense of 'take': physically grasped, acquired, or removed something.
Took: in British English it is pronounced /tʊk/, and in American English it is pronounced /tʊk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “took a turn for the worse”
- “took the plunge”
- “took it in stride”
- “took five”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Look' becomes 'looked' (regular). 'Took' is its irregular cousin - 'Take' becomes 'took', just like 'Shake' becomes 'shook'.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A RESOURCE CONSUMED ('It took an hour'). UNDERSTANDING IS GRASPING ('She took his point'). AN OPPORTUNITY IS A POSSESSION TO BE SEIZED ('He took the chance').
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'took' CORRECTLY?