phrasal verb🧩 phrasal verb

take up

to start a hobby

What it means

To start doing a new hobby, activity, sport, or job. It also has senses about occupying space or time, and accepting an offer; the 'hobby' sense is separable and very common in everyday talk.

Examples

  • After retiring, my father took up gardening with surprising enthusiasm.
  • I'm thinking of taking up yoga to help with my back pain.
  • She took up the violin at the age of forty.
  • My new puppy takes up so much of my time and energy.

Where it comes from

Used in this sense since the 1800s, where 'take up' suggests picking up and carrying an interest into your life. Its many other senses (take up space, take up an offer) come from the same simple root of 'lifting and adopting'.

Related phrasal verbs

#get into#carry out#brush up on

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