# take part

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/take-part
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To participate or join.

## Examples

- I want to take part in the discussion.
- Over fifty volunteers came to take part in the beach cleanup last weekend.
- Reluctant at first, she eventually agreed to take part in the panel, sharing insights she had kept private for years.

## Origin

From Middle English *taken part*, formed as a calque of the Latin *participō*. The construction is a literal translation of its Latin predecessor, following a pattern of Germanic equivalents such as the German *teilnehmen* and the Finnish *ottaa osaa*.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.