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take out

A2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words

To remove something, to go somewhere fun with someone, or to get rid of something.

Literal meaning: To physically remove something from inside a container or space.

Meanings

1 A2 neutral

To remove something from a container, pocket, or place.

"She took out her phone and started scrolling through her messages."

Grammar: separable
2 A2 neutral

To take someone to a restaurant, show, or social event, typically as a treat.

"He took her out for dinner to celebrate their anniversary."

Grammar: separable
3 B1 neutral

To obtain something officially, such as a loan, policy, or subscription.

"They took out a mortgage to buy their first home."

Grammar: separable
4 B2 idiomatic informal

To destroy, kill, or disable a target (often military or criminal contexts).

"Special forces were sent in to take out the communications tower."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Extremely versatile. 'Take someone out' for a date is very common informally. The military/action sense ('take out a target') is common in films and journalism. 'Take out a loan' is standard financial vocabulary.

Commonly used with

loan insurance trash dinner target subscription

Forms

Base
take out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
takes out
he/she/it
Past simple
took out
yesterday
Past participle
taken out
have + pp
-ing form
taking out
continuous

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Synonyms

remove extract escort destroy eliminate obtain

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