To take upon

To take upon
Upon Up*on", prep.[AS. uppan, uppon; upp up + on, an, on. See {Up}, and {On}.] On; -- used in all the senses of that word, with which it is interchangeable. ``Upon an hill of flowers.'' --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Our host upon his stirrups stood anon. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar. --Ex. xxix. 21. [1913 Webster]

The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. --Judg. xvi. 9. [1913 Webster]

As I did stand my watch upon the hill. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

He made a great difference between people that did rebel upon wantonness, and them that did rebel upon want. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

This advantage we lost upon the invention of firearms. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

Upon the whole, it will be necessary to avoid that perpetual repetition of the same epithets which we find in Homer. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

He had abandoned the frontiers, retiring upon Glasgow. --Sir. W. Scott. [1913 Webster]

Philip swore upon the Evangelists to abstain from aggression in my absence. --Landor. [1913 Webster]

Note: Upon conveys a more distinct notion that on carries with it of something that literally or metaphorically bears or supports. It is less employed than it used to be, on having for the most part taken its place. Some expressions formed with it belong only to old style; as, upon pity they were taken away; that is, in consequence of pity: upon the rate of thirty thousand; that is, amounting to the rate: to die upon the hand; that is, by means of the hand: he had a garment upon; that is, upon himself: the time is coming fast upon; that is, upon the present time. By the omission of its object, upon acquires an adverbial sense, as in the last two examples. [1913 Webster]

{To assure upon} (Law), to promise; to undertake.

{To come upon}. See under {Come}.

{To take upon}, to assume. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • take upon — ˈtake upon [transitive] [present tense I/you/we/they take upon he/she/it takes upon present participle taking upon past tense took upon past …   Useful english dictionary

  • take upon oneself — 1. To assume 2. To presume 3. To take responsibility for 4. To undertake 5. To feign, make believe (Shakespeare) • • • Main Entry: ↑take …   Useful english dictionary

  • take upon oneself — index endeavor, pledge (promise the performance of), promise (vow), undertake Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • take upon — phrasal verb [transitive] Word forms take upon : present tense I/you/we/they take upon he/she/it takes upon present participle taking upon past tense took upon past participle taken upon same as take on 5) We took it upon ourselves to organize a… …   English dictionary

  • take\ upon\ oneself — • take (up)on oneself v. phr. 1. To accept as a duty or responsibility. He took it on himself to see that the packages were delivered. 2. To assume wrongfully or without permission as a right or privilege. You should not have taken it upon… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • To take upon one's self — Take Take, v. t. [imp. {Took} (t[oo^]k); p. p. {Taken} (t[=a]k n); p. pr. & vb. n. {Taking}.] [Icel. taka; akin to Sw. taga, Dan. tage, Goth. t[=e]kan to touch; of uncertain origin.] 1. In an active sense; To lay hold of; to seize with the hands …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • take upon — verb To take charge of an item of business, or an obligation, as a personal initiative. He took it upon himself to check the reports …   Wiktionary

  • take upon oneself — See: TAKE ON ONESELF …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • take upon oneself — See: TAKE ON ONESELF …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • take upon — see take on 6) …   English dictionary

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