Undertake

Definition: Undertake

Undertake

Verb

1. Enter upon an activity or enterprise.

2. Accept as a challenge.

3. Promise or guarantee.

4. Enter into a contractual arrangement.

5. Accept as a charge.

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "undertake" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1200. (references)

Synonyms: Undertake

Beginning

Handsel; take the first step, lay the first stone, cut the first turf; break ground, break the ice, break cover; pass the Rubicon, cross the Rubicon; open fire, open the ball; ventilate, air; undertake.

Business

Verb: pass one's time in, employ one's time in, spend one's time in; employ oneself in, employ oneself upon; occupy oneself with, concern oneself with; make it one's business; Noun: undertake; enter a profession; betake oneself to, turn one's hand to; have to do with; (do).

Promise

Verb: promise; give a promise; Noun: undertake, engage; make an engagement, form an engagement; enter into an engagement, enter on an engagement; bind oneself, tie oneself, pledge oneself, commit oneself, take upon oneself; vow; swear; (affirm), give one's word, pass one's word, pledge one's word, plight one's word, give one's honor, pass one's honor, pledge one's honor, plight one's honor, give credit, pass credit, pledge credit, plight credit, give troth, pass troth, pledge troth, plight troth; betroth, plight faith.

Undertaking

Verb: undertake; engage in, embark in; launch into, plunge into; volunteer; apprentice oneself to; engage; (promise); contract; take upon oneself, take upon one's shoulders; devote oneself to; (determination).

Crosswords: Undertake

The imputation was totally without basis in fact, and was in no way fair comment, and was motivated purely by malice, and I deeply regret any distress that my comments may have caused you, or your family, and I hereby undertake not to repeat any such slander at any time in the future. (A Fish Called Wanda; writing credit: John Cleese; Charles Crichton)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Books

• Compendium of schemes, 1990-1991 : scholarships and assistance schemes for Australians wishing to study or undertake vacation employment in Britain (reference)

• Incentives to Undertake Sourcing Studies in the Air Force (reference)

  (more book examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Building shaker in the doorway of a building Used to determine earthquake engineering characteristics of buildings C&GS was the first organization to undertake engineering seismology studies Party of William D. Patterson. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection.

Ground shaker at Position "A" Used to determine earthquake engineering characteristics of buildings C&GS was the first organization to undertake engineering seismology studies Party of William D. Patterson. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

She shall not undertake any works of a nature to impede navigation on the Canal or its approaches. (reference)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

I undertake the commission.

Few secrets can escape an investigator, who has opportunity and license to undertake such a quest, and skill to follow it up.

Trust me, do not undertake this dreadful drudgery of being an idler.

The deed you undertake is damnable.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

It is based on patient reports of how much activity they can comfortably undertake. (references)

It is not uncommon for adolescents to refuse treatment, break hospital rules, miss outpatient appointments, or undertake activities against the doctor's orders. (references)

Doctors in a hospital setting can treat status epilepticus with several different drugs and can undertake emergency life-saving measures, such as administering oxygen, if necessary. (references)

Business

Thus, a revenue stream is more readily available to private firms who undertake these projects. (references)

They are allowed to undertake financial intermediation or solicit customers for their parent bank. (references)

The Saudi Ministry of Commerce provided only one license to a local company to undertake insurance services in the Kingdom. (references)

Children

Australia

The High Court ruled that the decision to undertake sterilization procedures should be made by an independent body. (references)

Hong Kong

The Committee also noted its concern over the Government's "apparent lack of initiative" to undertake public education to combat discrimination against those with mental disabilities. (references)

Uganda

A Department for Disabled Persons also exists under the Ministry of Gender, Labor, and Social Development; however, these bodies and positions have little funding to undertake or support any initiatives. (references)

Civil Liberties

Oman

Members of all religions and religious groups are free to maintain links with coreligionists abroad and undertake foreign travel for religious purposes. (references)

Senegal

While there is no official system of government grants, the importance of religion in society often results in the Government providing grants to religious groups to maintain their places of worship or undertake special events. (references)

Economic History

Ukraine

Ukrainian authorities, however, did not undertake structural economic reforms. (references)

Human Rights

Equatorial Guinea

There are no objective criteria for the selection of judges below the Supreme Court; the law allows the Ministry of Justice to undertake periodic inspections and name judges. (references)

Zambia

In 1999 the Magistrates and Judges' Association of Zambia expressed its intention to undertake efforts to release all eligible detainees on bail in order to reduce prison congestion. (references)

Venezuela

Before releasing the family members, the inmates held them for more than a day to leverage their demands that prison authorities not undertake their planned transfer to another facility. (references)

Indigenous People

Venezuela

The Government also promised not to undertake any further large infrastructure projects affecting the Pemon without consultation. (references)

Minorities

Switzerland

In June the Federal Council granted $2.3 million (4 million Swiss francs) to the National Science Foundation to undertake research on rightwing extremist groups. (references)

Political Economy

THAILAND

However, police undertake little enforcement apart from cases initiated by rights-holders. (references)

Political Rights

Namibia

Opposition parties generally were able to undertake political activity such as advertising and holding party conferences and public rallies. (references)

Trade

Netherlands

The importer must undertake these formalities at the time of clearing customs. (references)

Kenya

Many financial institutions do not as yet undertake transaction-based export financing. (references)

Women

Greece

The GSES claims that police tend to discourage women from pursuing domestic violence charges and instead undertake reconciliation efforts. (references)

Worker Rights

Vietnam

By law, an employer must ensure that workers under 18 years of age do not undertake hazardous work or work that would harm their physical or mental development. (references)

Burundi

The Labor Code states that children cannot be employed by "an enterprise" even as apprentices, although it also states that they may undertake occasional work that does not damage their health or interfere with their schooling. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Expressions using "undertake": undertake a journey ♦ undertake too much. Additional references.

Albanian

ndërmarr (initiate), marr përsipër (commit, take on). (various references)

Arabic 

‏تولى (assume, conduct), ‏تعهد (assurance, assure, bind, bond, care, commit oneself, commitment, contract, engage, engagement, guardianship, mind, nurse, obligation, pledge, plight, promise, protection, stipulate, undertaking, warrant), ‏أخذ على عاتقه (assume, incur, take to one's heels), ‏شرع (begin, commence, fall to, legislate, proceed, set about, set upon, start, tackle), ‏باشر (enter). (various references)

Bulgarian 

обещавам (bode, give one's word, make a promise, plight one's word, promise, prospect), захващам спор с, захващам борба с, заемам се (attempt, buckle, deal, set out, start out, volunteer), предприемам (embark, launch), потвърждавам (accredit, acknowledge, affirm, bear out, certify, clench, corroborate, endorse, homologate, ratify, reaffirm, speak to, substantiate, support, testify, uphold, validate, verify, vindicate, vouch, warrant), подхващам (approach, begin, tackle, take up). (various references)

Chinese 

承担 (Undertaken, Undertook), 承�"" (assume), 從事 (engage in, go for, to deal with, to do, to handle). (various references)

Czech

ujmout se (take off, take smth. on board, take up), zavázat se (covenant, engage), zaruèit se (bail out, vouch), vzít na sebe, vzít do rukou, slíbit (give one's word, make a promise, pledge, promise), pustit se do (embark on, go about, go in for, turn), provést (accomplish, carry out, effect, execute, exercise, finish, make, perform, realize, render, ride out, see it through, show), podniknout (make), převzít (assume, take, take over, take up). (various references)

Danish

foretage, bestræbe sig (aim, attempt, endeavour, take steps). (various references)

Dutch

ondernemen. (various references)

Esperanto

klopodi (aim, attempt, endeavour, take steps), entrepreni. (various references)

Faeroese

royna (aim, attempt, endeavour, go through, live to see, take steps, test, try), greiða úr hondum, gera sær ómak (aim, attempt, endeavour, take steps). (various references)

Farsi 

متقبل شدن , متعهدشدن (Oblige, Pledge, Plight), قول دادن (Engage, Promise), تقبل کردن (Assume), تعهدکردن (Guarantee, Underwrite), عهده دارشدن (Emprise, Guarantee, Stand), بعهده گرفتن (Assume, Tackle). (various references)

Finnish

yrittää (attempt, endeavour, make an effort, try), ponnistella (aim, attempt, endeavour, struggle, take steps, try hard not to). (various references)

French

entreprendre. (various references)

German

unternehmen (attempt, business, company, concern, do, effort, enterprise, establishment, make, operation, organization, project, undertaken, undertaking, venture), übernehmen (accept, adopt, assume, borrow, buy, defray, derive, take, take on, take over, to adopt, to take on, to take over, undertaken). (various references)

Greek 

καταπιάνομαι, επιχειρώ (attempt, embark on, tackle, venture, wage), αναλαμβάνω (commit oneself, contract, resume, shoulder, take on, take over, take up). (various references)

Hebrew 

ליטול על עצמו (incur), לקבל על עצמו, ל�"תחיב (be found guilty, be obliged, commit oneself, forswear, pledge). (various references)

Hungarian

vállal (contract, to contract, to cut it fine, to farm, to run it fine, to shoulder, to tackle, to take on), elvállal (take on, -taken, to assume, to take on, to undertake, -took), belefog (commence, go away, lead off, -taken, to pipe up, to undertake, -took). (various references)

Indonesian

menjalankan (actuate, operate, run), mengerjakan (deal with, do, effectuate), melakukan (bring about, carry out, commit, make, perform, perpetrate), berusaha (endeavour, try). (various references)

Italian

intraprendere (begin, company, enter, enterprise, undertaking, wage). (various references)

Japanese Kanji 

受ける (test, to accept, to take lesson, to undertake), 企てる (to attempt, to contemplate, to design, to intend, to plan, to plot, to propose, to undertake). (various references)

Japanese Katakana 

くわ� てる (to attempt, to contemplate, to design, to intend, to plan, to plot, to propose, to undertake), ひきうける (to be responsible for, to contract, to guarantee, to take over, to take up, to undertake), うけおう (to contract, to undertake), うけあう (to assure, to guarantee, to take on a task and guarantee success, to undertake), うける (to accept, to become popular, to catch, to experience, to receive, to take, to undergo, to undertake), に�"にあたる (to undertake a duty), かってでる (to undertake a challenge, to volunteer), あたる (to apply to, to be applicable, to be assigned, to be equivalent to, to be hit, to be successful, to face, to lie, to treat, to undertake). (various references)

Korean 

착수하십시�". (various references)

Manx

goaill ayns laue (attempt, engage, treat, treat ply), goaill ass laue (attempt, presume, suppose). (various references)

Pig Latin

ertakeunday

Polish

starać się. (various references)

Portuguese

empreender (dart, endeavor, endeavour, engage, launch a rocket, wage). (various references)

Romanian

lua asupra sã (assume), garanta (avouch, ensure, grant, guarantee, indemnify, insure, secure, underwrite, vouch, warrant), fi antreprenor de pompe funebre, da garanţii, afirma (affirm, allege, assert, aver, avouch, claim, declare, hold, maintain, predicate, purport, remark, say, speak to, state, submit), a-şi asuma rãspunderea, întreprinde (begin, carry on, enter upon, take, venture), încerca (aim, assay, attempt, bother, endeavor, endeavour, essay, experience, fit on, make, offer, sample, taste, tempt, test, try, undergo). (various references)

Russian 

гарантировать (assure, assures, assuring, ensure, guaranteed, secure, underwrite, underwrote, warrant), предпринимать (launch, undertaken, undertook). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

preduzeti (launch, set to). (various references)

Spanish

encargarse de (handle, look after, see about, see after, see to, take charge of, take of, take on, take over), emprender (adopt, assume, attack, enter on, go about, go around, go at, launch, light, set about, set out, set upon, start, tackle, take on, take over, take up, taking over), tratar de (aim, attempt, deal with, discuss, endeavor, endeavour, lecture, take steps, try, try to), esforzarse por (aim, attempt, endeavour, take steps). (various references)

Swedish

åta sig. (various references)

Turkish

yüklenmek (attach, be stuck with, embark, lay on, lie heavy on smb., load, load up, shoulder, sit upon, stick it on, take upon oneself), söz vermek (assure, commit, covenant, engage, give an undertaking, give one's word, guarantee, impawn, make a promise, pledge, pledge one's word, plight, promise, take the pledge), girişmek (address oneself to, approach, attack, begin, buckle down to, buckle oneself to, embark, embark upon, enter into, enter on, enter upon, fall to, fling, have a bash, interfere, jut into, kick off, knuckle down to, launch, launch out, pitch into, proceed, set about, set off, set one's hand to, set oneself to do smth., set out, set to, start in, start out, tackle, take a step, take the initiative, throw oneself into, venture on, venture upon, wade in, wade into), garanti etmek (assure, engage, guarantee, stipulate, vouch, warrant), üstlenmek (accept, assume, be stuck with, bear, stand, support, take on, take over, take upon oneself, volunteer). (various references)

Ukrainian

ручатися (answer, avouch, certify, ensure, impawn, mortgage, pawn, pledge), брати на себе (assume, go, shoulder), починати (begin, break, commence, embark, enter into, enter on, enter upon, initiate, institute, launch, lead off, open, prelude, quicken, set off, start, strike up, tee off, tee up). (various references)

Welsh

ymgymryd. (various references)

acceperant, acceperat, acceperim, acceperint, acceperis, acceperit, acceperitis, accepero, acceperunt, acceperuntque, accepi, accepimus, accepisse, accepisset, accepissetis, accepisti, accepistis, accepit, accepitque, accepta, acceptam, acceptamque, acceptas, accepti, acceptis, acceptisque, accepto, acceptum, accepturi, accepturum, accepturus, acceptus, accipe, accipere, acciperem, acciperemus, acciperent, acciperet, accipiam, accipiamus, accipiant, accipias, accipiat, accipiatis, accipiatur, accipiebant, accipiebat, accipiemus, accipiendo, accipiendum, accipiens, accipient, accipientem, accipientes, accipientque, accipies, accipiesque, accipiet, accipietis, accipimus, accipio, accipis, accipit, accipite, accipitis, accipiunt, adeamus, adeo, adeodatus, adgredi, adgrediar, adgressi, adgressuras, adgressus, adiada, adierint, adierunt, adieruntque, adii, adiit, adire, adito, aditu, coepio, coepto, conducat, conducebant, conducebat, conducentes, conducere, conducerent, conducta, conducto, conductum, conduxerint, conduxerunt, conduxeruntque, conduxi, conduxissent, conduxit, cura, curabant, curabantur, curabat, curabimini, curabit, curabo, curabunt, curamini, curandi, curandum, curans, curantes, curare, curarem, curarentur, curaret, curaretur, curari, curas, curasset, curata, curatae, curate, curatus, curaverunt, curavimus, curavit, curem, cures, herodiadis, iaminitarum, incipe, inciperent, inciperet, incipiam, incipiant, incipias, incipiat, incipiebant, incipiebas, incipiebat, incipiemus, incipiens, incipient, incipiente, incipientem, incipientes, incipientibus, incipientis, incipies, incipiet, incipietis, incipimus, incipio, incipit, incipite, incipiunt, ineam, ineamus, ineas, ineat, ineo, ineunt, ingredere, ingrederentur, ingrederer, ingrederetur, ingredi, ingrediamini, ingrediamur, ingrediantur, ingrediar, ingrediaris, ingrediatur, ingrediebantur, ingrediebar, ingrediebatur, ingrediemini, ingrediemur, ingrediens, ingrediensque, ingrediente, ingredientem, ingredientes, ingredientesque, ingredienti, ingredientibus, ingredientium, ingredientur, ingredienturque, ingredieris, ingredierisque, ingredietur, ingredimini, ingredior, ingreditur, ingrediuntur, ingressa, ingressae, ingressaque, ingressas, ingressi, ingressique, ingressis, ingressisque, ingresso, ingressu, ingressum, ingressuri, ingressurus, ingressus, ingressusque, ini, inibis, inibo, inierant, inierat, iniere, inierit, inierunt, iniit, inique, inire, inirent, inisset, inisti, inistis, inite, initi, inito, initoque, initum, initur, moliaris, moliebantur, moliebatur, molimur, molirentur, pliadis, promitto, receperit, recepistis, recepto, receptum, recipere, reciperet, recipiat, recipies, recipiet, susceperant, susceperat, suscepere, susceperint, susceperis, susceperit, susceperunt, susceperuntque, suscepi, suscepimus, suscepisse, suscepisset, suscepisti, suscepistis, suscepit, suscepta, susceptamque, susceptaque, suscepti, suscepto, susceptoria, susceptum, susceptumque, suscepturi, susceptus, suscipe, suscipere, susciperent, susciperes, suscipiam, suscipiamus, suscipiant, suscipias, suscipiat, suscipiatis, suscipiebant, suscipiendam, suscipiendos, suscipiens, suscipiensque, suscipient, suscipientes, suscipies, suscipiesque, suscipiet, suscipietis, suscipietque, suscipietur, suscipimus, suscipio, suscipit, suscipite, suscipitis, suscipiunt. (various references)

entreprendre. (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Derivations

Words beginning with "undertake": undertaken, undertaker, undertakers, undertakes. (additional references)

Misspellings

"Undertake" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: Dunderdale, ndertake, understake. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

-1 letter: denature, underate, undereat.

-2 letters: daunter, denture, kneader, nakeder, natured, retaken, retuned, tenured, trunked, unraked, unrated, untread.

-3 letters: anteed, ardent, danker, darken, dekare, derate, dunker, earned, endear, endure, entera, enured, eureka, kerned, narked, nature, neared, neater, neuter, ranked, ranted, redate, rented, retake, retune, tanked, tanker, teared, tender, tenure, tundra, tureen, turned, unread.

-4 letters: akene, anted.

+1 letter: undertaken, undertaker, undertakes.

+2 letters: unbracketed, undertakers.

55 6E 64 65 72 74 61 6B 65

⁼

..-    -.    -..    .    .-.    -    .-    -.-    .

01010101 01101110 01100100 01100101 01110010 01110100 01100001 01101011 01100101

&#85 &#110 &#100 &#101 &#114 &#116 &#97 &#107 &#101

0055 006E 0064 0065 0072 0074 0061 006B 0065

558070718486677771