take part

From Middle English taken part, a calque of Latin participō. Compare partake, German teilnehmen, Finnish ottaa osaa.

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take part (third-person singular simple present takes part, present participle taking part, simple past took part, past participle taken part)

1. (idiomatic, intransitive, with "in") To participate or join.

   He declined to take part in the meeting because he did not feel he had anything to add.

   I listened to a discussion in which she took part.

   • 2000, Vesna Nikolić-Ristanović, Women, Violence and War, →ISBN:

     They are killed, tortured, made to take part in the fighting, banished from their homes.

   • 2016, Anna Maria Andersen Nawrot, The Utopian Human Right to Science and Culture, →ISBN:

     Thus the revolution is that one can speak about an access to digital culture within the right to take part in cultural life.

2. (idiomatic) To share or partake.
   • 1829, Jabez Burns, The Christian's sketch book, page 96:

     So didst thou love man, that thou wouldest take part with him of his misery, that he might take part with thee of thy blessedness.

   • 2007, S. A. Nnolim, The History of Umuchu, →ISBN, page 50:

     We have two famous tribal drums called Ntiri and Abia which are so stimulating that everybody used to take part when they sounded, but Ndiuka were educated not to dance it because it is native.

   • 2012, Alastair Hendry, The Parish Churches of Loudoun and their Clergy up to 1845, →ISBN, page 39:

     Importantly now, all of the parishioners were expected to participate in singing God's praise and at communion received the bread and wine at tables set out for all to take part.

3. (dated) To support or ally oneself (with).
   • 1820, Charles Kitchell Gardner, The Literary and Scientific Repository, and Critical Review:

     Yet we take part, on the whole, with the author : — and heartily wish him success in the great object of vindicating his country from unmerited aspersions, and trying to make us, in England, ashamed of the vices and defects which he has taken the trouble to point out in our national character and institutions.

   • 1824, The Parliamentary Debates - Volume 9, page 195:

     When the Spaniards were formerly contending against France, the noble earl said he felt for them, but he then recommended a cautious and prudent line of conduct to this country, and advised us not to take part with Spain.

   • 1891, William Logan, A Collection of Treaties, Engagements, and Other Papers of Importance, →ISBN, page 61:

     At any time, if the French or any country Powers of Malabar shall design to come against the Honourable English Company, or the said Honourable English Company shall propose going against any of the above mentioned, I oblige myself, by this writing, to act entirely on the part of the Honourable English Company, and to assist them readily with 300 men armed with my fire arms, at all times that the Chief of Tellicherry shall advise or ask me, and in no respect will I take part with them, who may be the Honourable Company's enemies.

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