[1] : WordNet (r) 2.0

take up
     v 1: pursue or resume; "take up a matter for consideration"
     2: adopt; "take up new ideas" syn: latch on, fasten on, hook
        on, seize on
     3: turn one's interest to; "he took up herpetology at the age
        of fifty"
     4: take up time or space; "take up the slack"
     5: begin work or acting in a certain capacity, office or job;
        "take up a position"; "start a new job" syn: start
     6: take up and practice as one's own syn: adopt, borrow, take
        over
     7: occupy or take on; "he assumes the lotus position"; "she
        took her seat on the stage"; "we took our seats in the
        orchestra"; "she took up her position behind the tree";
        "strike a pose" syn: assume, take, strike
     8: take up a liquid or a gas either by adsorption or by
        absorption syn: sorb
     9: take out or up with or as if with a scoop; "scoop the sugar
        out of the container" syn: scoop, scoop out, lift
        out, scoop up
     10: accept; "the cloth takes up the liquid" syn: take in
     11: take in, also metaphorically; "the sponge absorbs water
         well"; "she drew strength from the minister's words"
         syn: absorb, suck, imbibe, soak up, sop up, suck
         up, draw, take in
     12: take up as if with a sponge syn: take in, sop up, suck
         in
     13: return to a previous location or condition; "the painting
         resumed its old condition when we restored it" syn: resume
see also:
latch on fasten on hook on seize on start adopt 
borrow take over assume take strike 
sorb scoop scoop out lift out scoop up 
take in absorb suck imbibe soak up 
sop up suck up draw suck in resume 

[2] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

314 moby thesaurus words for "take up":
   absorb, absorb the attention, accept, accumulate, admit, adopt,
   adsorb, affiliate, agglomerate, aggregate, aggroup, air, amass,
   amortize, analyze, annex, appropriate, approve, arrest, arrogate,
   assemble, assimilate, assume, attack, attempt, batch, be about,
   be doing, be engaged in, be occupied with, blot, blot up,
   bring together, buckle to, bulk, bunch, bunch together, bunch up,
   campaign for, canvass, carry, carry on, catch, charm, chemisorb,
   chemosorb, clear, clump, cluster, collect, colligate, collocate,
   colonize, combine, come out, commence, comment upon, compare,
   compile, complete, comprehend, comprise, conduct, conglomerate,
   conquer, consider, contain, controvert, corral, count in, cover,
   criticize, crusade for, cull, cumulate, deal with, debate,
   deliberate, deliberate upon, descant, dig up, digest, discharge,
   discourse, discourse about, discuss, dissert, dissertate, do,
   drag up, draw together, draw up, dredge, dredge up, drink,
   drink in, drink up, drive together, elevate, embark in, embark on,
   embark upon, embody, embrace, employ, enchant, encircle, enclose,
   encompass, endeavor, engage, engage in, engage the attention,
   engage the mind, engage the thoughts, engross, engross the mind,
   engross the thoughts, enslave, enter, enter on, enter upon,
   enthrall, envisage, espouse, examine, exchange views, exercise,
   fall into, fall to, fascinate, fill, fill in, fill out, fish up,
   follow, gather, gather in, gather together, gather up, get at,
   get hold of, get in, get off, get together, get under way, glean,
   glom on to, go about, go at, go in for, go into, go upon, grab,
   grip, group, grub, grub up, handle, haul up, have at, hog, hoist,
   hold, hold spellbound, hold the interest, honor, hypnotize, imbibe,
   immerse, include, incorporate, indent, infiltrate, initiate,
   inquire into, investigate, involve, involve the interest, join,
   jump a claim, juxtapose, kick, knock around, launch forth,
   launch into, lay about, lay hands on, lift, liquidate,
   lump together, make accounts square, make free with, make up,
   make use of, mass, match, mesmerize, mobilize, monopolize,
   move into, muster, number among, obsess, occupy,
   occupy the attention, osmose, overrun, pair, partner, pass,
   pass under review, patronize, pay in full, pay off, pay the bill,
   pay the shot, pay up, percolate in, pick, pick up, pitch into,
   pluck, pluck up, plunge into, practice, preempt, preoccupy,
   prepossess, proceed to, prosecute, pursue, put together, raise,
   rake up, rally, rap, ratify, rear, reason, reason about,
   reason the point, receive, reckon among, reckon in, reckon with,
   redeem, remark upon, requisition, retire, review, round up,
   satisfy, scare up, scrape together, scrape up, seep in, set about,
   set at, set forward, set going, set to, settle, sift, sit on,
   slurp up, soak in, soak up, sorb, specialize in, spellbind, sponge,
   sponsor, square, square accounts, squat on, strike a balance,
   study, subjugate, survey, swill up, tackle, take all of, take in,
   take into account, take into consideration, take it all, take on,
   take over, take possession, take possession of, take to, talk,
   talk about, talk of, talk over, thresh out, touch upon, treat,
   treat of, turn to, undertake, uphold, uplift, upraise, uprear, use,
   usurp, ventilate, venture upon, wage, whip in, work at, write up

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