First published 1921; not yet revised More entries for "undertake"

undertakeverb

Etymology
Meaning & use
Pronunciation
Frequency
Compounds & derived words

Quotations

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Factsheet

What does the verb undertake mean?

There are 24 meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb undertake, ten of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

See meaning & use

How common is the verb undertake?

About 40occurrences per million words in modern written English

1750	80
1760	71
1770	66
1780	68
1790	67
1800	70
1810	66
1820	64
1830	62
1840	59
1850	59
1860	55
1870	54
1880	54
1890	54
1900	53
1910	52
1920	54
1930	53
1940	50
1950	52
1960	52
1970	50
1980	43
1990	36
2000	35
2010	35

See frequency

How is the verb undertake pronounced?

British English

/ˌʌndəˈteɪk/

un-duh-TAYK

U.S. English

/ˌəndərˈteɪk/

uhn-duhr-TAYK

See pronunciation

Where does the verb undertake come from?

Earliest known use

Middle English

The earliest known use of the verb undertake is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).

OED's earliest evidence for undertake is from around 1175, in Ormulum.

undertake is formed within English, by derivation.

Etymons: under- prefix1 4a.i, take v.

See etymology

Nearby entries

under-surface, n.1733–
undersustentation, n.1650
under-swain, n.a1644–
undersward, n.1883–
underswearer, n.1724–
undersweat, v.1888–
underswell, n.1849–
under-swordfish, n.1681
undertakable, adj.1638–
undertake, n.1647–76
undertake, v.c1175–
undertakement, n.1678–81
undertaken, adj.c1440–
undertaker, n.1382–
undertaking, n.1382–
undertaking, adj.?a1400–
undertakingly, adv.1665–
undertalk, v.1736–
undertaxed, adj.1706–
underteacher, n.1581–
underteller, n.1694–

Browse more nearby entries

Etymology

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Pronunciation

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Frequency

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Compounds & derived words

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Entry history for undertake, v.

undertake, v. was first published in 1921; not yet revised.

undertake, v. was last modified in March 2024.

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into undertake, v. in March 2024.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1921)

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OED Second Edition (1989)

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View undertake, v. in OED Second Edition

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Chicago

Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “,” , .

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“” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, , .

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Citation details

Factsheet for undertake, v.

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Nearby entries

under-surface, n.1733–
undersustentation, n.1650
under-swain, n.a1644–
undersward, n.1883–
underswearer, n.1724–
undersweat, v.1888–
underswell, n.1849–
under-swordfish, n.1681
undertakable, adj.1638–
undertake, n.1647–76
undertake, v.c1175–
undertakement, n.1678–81
undertaken, adj.c1440–
undertaker, n.1382–
undertaking, n.1382–
undertaking, adj.?a1400–
undertakingly, adv.1665–
undertalk, v.1736–
undertaxed, adj.1706–
underteacher, n.1581–
underteller, n.1694–

Browse more nearby entries