take up

pursue or resume

• “take up a matter for consideration”

adopt

• “take up new ideas”

turn one''s interest to

• “He took up herpetology at the age of fifty”

take up time or space

• “take up the slack”

begin work or acting in a certain capacity, office or job

• “Take up a position”
• “start a new job”

take up and practice as one''s own

occupy or take on

• “He assumes the lotus position”
• “She took her seat on the stage”
• “We took our seats in the orchestra”
• “She took up her position behind the tree”
• “strike a pose”

take up a liquid or a gas either by adsorption or by absorption

take out or up with or as if with a scoop

• “scoop the sugar out of the container”

accept

• “The cloth takes up the liquid”

take in, also metaphorically

• “The sponge absorbs water well”
• “She drew strength from the minister”

take up as if with a sponge

return to a previous location or condition

• “The painting resumed its old condition when we restored it”

a device for reducing slack or taking up lost motion

the action of taking up as by tightening or absorption or reeling in