undertake
pronunciation
How to pronounce undertake in British English:
UK [ˌʌndəˈteɪk]
How to pronounce undertake in American English:
US [ˌʌndərˈteɪk]
-
- Verb:
- enter upon an activity or enterprise
- accept as a challenge
- promise to do or accomplish
- enter into a contractual arrangement
- accept as a charge
Word Origin
- undertake (v.)
- c. 1200, "to entrap;" c. 1300, "to set about (to do)," from under + take (v.). Similar formation in French entreprendre "to undertake," from entre "between, among" + prendre "to take." The under in this word may be the same one that also may form the first element of understand. Old English had underniman "to trap, accept" (cognate with Dutch ondernemen, German unternehmen).
Example
- 1. Is it one that anyone should undertake ?
- 2. Pessimism about the economy makes corporate america reluctant to undertake long-term capital investments .
- 3. I 'll leave you to undertake an important mission .
- 4. Capricorn are reliable workers in almost any profession they undertake .
- 5. But some countries do not undertake such inventories . Much of the data from those that do is outdated .