Nominal Forms
Infinitive: to undertake
Participle: undertaken
Gerund: undertaking
Cognates
-
Indicative
Present
| I | undertake |
| you | undertake |
| he;she;it | undertakes |
| we | undertake |
| you | undertake |
| they | undertake |
Perfect
| I | have undertaken |
| you | have undertaken |
| he;she;it | has undertaken |
| we | have undertaken |
| you | have undertaken |
| they | have undertaken |
Past
| I | undertook |
| you | undertook |
| he;she;it | undertook |
| we | undertook |
| you | undertook |
| they | undertook |
Pluperfect
| I | had undertaken |
| you | had undertaken |
| he;she;it | had undertaken |
| we | had undertaken |
| you | had undertaken |
| they | had undertaken |
Future
| I | will undertake |
| you | will undertake |
| he;she;it | will undertake |
| we | will undertake |
| you | will undertake |
| they | will undertake |
Future Perfect
| I | will have undertaken |
| you | will have undertaken |
| he;she;it | will have undertaken |
| we | will have undertaken |
| you | will have undertaken |
| they | will have undertaken |
Subjunctive
Present
| I | undertake |
| you | undertake |
| he;she;it | undertake |
| we | undertake |
| you | undertake |
| they | undertake |
Perfect
| I | have undertaken |
| you | have undertaken |
| he;she;it | have undertaken |
| we | have undertaken |
| you | have undertaken |
| they | have undertaken |
Imperfect
| I | undertook |
| you | undertook |
| he;she;it | undertook |
| we | undertook |
| you | undertook |
| they | undertook |
Pluperfect
| I | had undertaken |
| you | had undertaken |
| he;she;it | had undertaken |
| we | had undertaken |
| you | had undertaken |
| they | had undertaken |
Conditional
Present
| I | would undertake |
| you | would undertake |
| he;she;it | would undertake |
| we | would undertake |
| you | would undertake |
| they | would undertake |
Perfect
| I | would have undertaken |
| you | would have undertaken |
| he;she;it | would have undertaken |
| we | would have undertaken |
| you | would have undertaken |
| they | would have undertaken |
Imperative
| you | undertake |
| we | Let's undertake |
| you | undertake |
Verbs conjugated like 'undertake'
betake,
caretake,
forsake,
mistake,
overtake,
partake,
retake,
shake,
take,
undertake,
Verbs similar to 'undertake'
underbake,
entertake,
underawe,
underrate,
undersave,
understage,
understate,
undertax,
undertime,
undertone,
Synonyms & Antonyms
Additional Information
Phrasal Verbs
Etymology
1. c.1200, "to entrap," in the same sense as O.E.
underniman (cf. Du.
ondernemen, Ger.
unternehmen), of which it is a partial loan-translation, from under + take. Cf. also Fr.
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. Meaning "to accept" is attested from c.1250; that of "to take upon oneself, to accept the duty of" is from c.1300.
Undertaking "enterprise" is recorded from c.1425.
2. From Middle English undertaken; equivalent to under- + take (after undernim). See: Middle English '
undertaken'.
Sample Sentences
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[...] God's earth a nobler-souled, more generous fellow, than Alfred, in all that concerns his equals; and we got on admirably with this property question, without a single unbrotherly word or feeling. We undertook to work the plantation together; and Alfred, whose outward life and capabilities had double the strength of mine, became an enthusiastic planter, and a wonderfully successful one.
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
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Miss Ophelia saw that there was nobody in the camp that would undertake to oversee the cleansing and dressing of the new arrival; and so she was forced to do it herself, with some very ungracious and reluctant assistance from Jane.
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
-
[...] best I can, ” said Miss Ophelia; and Miss Ophelia, after this, did labor, with a commendable degree of zeal and energy, on her new subject. She instituted regular hours and employments for her, and undertook to teach her to read and sew.
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
-
“ Well, you are always heroic and transcendental, ” said Mr. Shelby, “ but I think you had better think before you undertake such a piece of Quixotism. ”
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
-
[...] by anticipation, from what he felt would be the exactions of his own conscience, if he once did resolve to assume them. For, so inconsistent is human nature, especially in the ideal, that not to undertake a thing at all seems better than to undertake and come short.
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
-
[...] of his own conscience, if he once did resolve to assume them. For, so inconsistent is human nature, especially in the ideal, that not to undertake a thing at all seems better than to undertake and come short.
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
-
It took but a short time to familiarize Tom with all that was to be hoped or feared in his new way of life. He was an expert and efficient workman in whatever he undertook; and was, both from habit and principle, prompt and faithful. Quiet and peaceable in his disposition, he hoped, by unremitting diligence, to avert from himself at least a portion of the evils of his [...]
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
-
“ You will call me an enthusiast: you will tell me that I have not well considered what I am undertaking. But I have considered, and counted the cost. I go to _Liberia_, not as an Elysium of romance, but as to _a field of work_. I expect to work with both hands,—to work _hard_; to work against all [...]
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)