undertake
English · Thesaurus
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Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
undertake
- /ˌʌndəˈteɪk/ UK
- /ˌʌndɚˈteɪk/ Canada, US
- /ˌɐndəˈtæɪk/ Australia, New Zealand
Rhymes with -eɪk
Where it comes from
From Middle English undertaken; equivalent to under- + take (after undernim).
verb undertakes · undertaking · undertook · undertaken · undirtake
- To take upon oneself; to start, to embark on. They undertook the new venture, not sure where it would lead.
- To commit oneself (to an obligation, activity etc.). He undertook to exercise more in future.
-
To pass a slower moving vehicle on the curbside rather than on the side closest to oncoming traffic.
Opposite: overtake
- To pledge; to assert, assure; to dare say. That is her ransom; I deliver her; And those two counties I will undertake Your grace shall well and quietly enjoy.
- To take by trickery; to trap, to seize upon.
- To assume, as a character; to take on. Quince. […] you must needs play Pyramus. Bottom. Well, I will undertake it.
- To engage with; to attack, take on in a fight. It is not fit your lordship should undertake every companion that you give offence to.
- To have knowledge of; to hear. Ne he his mouth would open unto wight, Untill that Guyon selfe unto him spake, And called Brigadore, (so was he hight,) Whose voice so soone as he did undertake, Eftsoones he stood as still as any stake,
- To have or take charge of. To the water side I must conduct your grace; Then give my charge up to Sir Nicholas Vaux, Who undertakes you to your end.
noun undertakes · undirtake
-
The passing of slower traffic on the curbside rather than on the side closest to oncoming traffic.
Opposite: overtake
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: take on, set about, attempt, guarantee, contract, tackle, get, attain, achieve, enter, perform, bring, achievement, achieving, accomplish, proceeding
Translations
Every language
verb to start an enterprise
| Español | emprender, acometer, incoar, entrar en faena, meterse en faena |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 맡다 matda |
| 日本語 | 取り掛かる torikakaru |
| 中文 | 進行 /进行 jìnxíng |
| Português | empreender |
| Français | entreprendre |
| Deutsch | unternehmen, ausführen |
| Italiano | imprendere, intraprendere |
| Română | întreprinde |
| Русский | предпринима́ть predprinimátʹ, предприня́ть predprinjátʹ |
| العربية | قَامَ qāma |
verb to commit oneself to an obligation
| Español | comprometerse a |
|---|---|
| Português | dedicar, comprometer-se |
| Deutsch | sich verpflichten |
| Italiano | impegnarsi, dedicarsi |
| Русский | руча́ться ručátʹsja, поручи́ться poručítʹsja |
Talk about this word "undertake." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/undertake. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. undertake. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/undertake "undertake." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/undertake.Cite this
@misc{undertake_2026,
title = {undertake},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/undertake},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
