d.1732. Atterbury, Sermons, 1. iii. He knew what would take and be liked; and he knew how to express it after a taking manner.
1821. Lamb, Mrs. Battle on Whist. She . . . was never greatly taken with cribbage.
1854. Collins, Hide and Seek, i. 9. Putting in taky touches, and putting in bits of effect.
1857. Kingsley, Two Years Ago, vii. The style takes; the style pays; and what more would you have?
1869. Stowe, Old Town Folks, 32. Somehow or other, she took to Ruth, and Ruth took to her.
1872. Holmes, Poet at Break. Table, iii. Why do . . . your digestive contrivances take kindly to bread rather than toadstools?
1889. Oliphant, Poor Gentleman, xxxiv. She's dreadful taking . . . When she gets talking, you could just stop there forever.
2. (old colloquial).—To blight; to injure: by infection, disease, grief, etc. As subs. = a witch's charm. Hence taking = infections (still colloquial or provincial).
c.1332. Joseph of Arimathie [E. E. T. S.], 47. John Popes wyfe of comtone Had a yong chylde, that was taken sodenly.
1596. Shakspeare, Merry Wives, iv. 4. 32. He blasts the tree and takes the Cattle. Ibid. (1596), Hamlet, i. 1. No fairy takes. Ibid. (1605), Lear, ii. 4. 166. Strike her young bones, You taking airs, with lameness.
1619. Fletcher, False One, iv. 3. Come not near me, For I am yet too taking for your company.
d.1649. Winthrop, Hist. New England [Savage], i. 201. Two shallops . . . were taken in the night with an easterly storm.
1678. Quack's Acad. [Harl. Misc. ii. 34.] He hath a take upon him, or is planetstruck.
1768. Goldsmith, Good Natured Man, i. A plague take their balderdash.
3. (old colloquial).—To deliver a blow; to strike.
c.1430. Destr. Troy [E. E. T. S.], 6394. Ector . . . toke his horse with his helis.
1619. Fletcher, Humourous Lieut. ii. 2. A rascal takes him o'er the face, and fells him.
1625-30. Court and Times Charles I. 1. 156. Mr. William Vaux took Mr. Knightly a blow on the face.
4. (conventional.)—To admit to sexual intercourse (of women): also to take up one's petticoats to = to receive a man: see Ride and Greens for numerous combinations. See Carrots.
1672. Ray, Proverbs, 'Proverbial Sentences.' A maid that taketh yieldeth. Ibid. A maid that laughs is half taken. Ibid. Do as the maids do, say no, and take it.
5. (conventional).—To be got with child: see Hold.
Phrases and Colloquialisms.—Take has been, and still is, much in colloquial use. Thus, to take back = to retract; to take a breath = to consider, to seek advice; to take after = to resemble; to take about the neck = to embrace; to take anyone forth = to teach, to give a start; to be taken by the face = to be put to the blush; to take beef = to run away; to take down = (1) to humiliate (see Peg); (2) to best (Australian); to take up = to reprove (also to take to do, to task, and a talking to); to take heart = to pluck up courage; to take to heart = to grieve; to take it out = (1) to get value, to extort or compel satisfaction or reparation; and (2) = to exhaust; to take one (or it) = to understand; to take in = (1)
