to take on
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To be upset or considerably affected. In the U.S.A., to assume, or adopt.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to take on” mean?
To be upset or considerably affected. In the U.S.A., to assume, or adopt.
Is “to take on” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.