1. (verb)assume, acquire, adopt, take on, take take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect "His voice took on a sad tone"; "The story took a new turn"; "he adopted an air of superiority"; "She assumed strange manners"; "The gods assume human or animal form in these fables"
2. (verb)assume, adopt, take on, take over take on titles, offices, duties, responsibilities
"When will the new President assume office?"
3. (verb)undertake, tackle, take on accept as a challenge "I'll tackle this difficult task"
4. (verb)accept, admit, take, take on admit into a group or community "accept students for graduate study"; "We'll have to vote on whether or not to admit a new member"
5. (verb)meet, encounter, play, take on contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle "Princeton plays Yale this weekend"; "Charlie likes to play Mary"