# intake

/ˈɪnˌteɪk/ (US) · /ˈɪnteɪk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/intake
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. consumption of food/drink

noun · CEFR B2

the amount of food, drink, or air that you take into your body.

For teachers: the quantity of a substance, such as nutrients or fluids, consumed by an organism.

- You should reduce your daily salt intake to stay healthy.
- The nutritionist recommended a significant increase in water intake to counteract the dehydrating effects of the new medication.

### 2. mechanical opening

noun · CEFR B2

the place where air, water, or fuel is taken into a machine or pipe.

For teachers: an opening or structure through which a fluid is admitted into a system or engine.

- The mechanic checked the air intake to see if it was blocked by leaves.
- Engineers redesigned the turbine's intake to maximize airflow efficiency during high-altitude flight conditions.

### 3. a group of people

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

a group of people who start at a school or company at the same time.

For teachers: a specific cohort of individuals admitted to an organization or educational institution during a particular period.

- This year's intake of medical students is the largest in the university's history.
- The annual intake of apprentices has doubled since the government introduced the new vocational training subsidies.

### 5. language learning

noun · CEFR C2 · Academic · Technical

the part of a language lesson that a student actually remembers and understands.

For teachers: the subset of linguistic input that is cognitively processed and internalized by a learner.

- Teachers must ensure that classroom input actually becomes intake for the students.
- The study investigates the variables that determine how much comprehensible input is successfully converted into intake during communicative tasks.

Usage: Used in second-language acquisition theory to distinguish between what is heard (input) and what is learned.

### 6. to bring in

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to take something in or bring it inside.

For teachers: to draw in or receive from an external source.

- The vents intake fresh air from the roof of the building.
- The system is designed to intake raw data from multiple sensors before processing it into a unified report.

## Examples

- You should reduce your daily salt intake.
- The doctor advised her to increase her water intake during the summer months to stay hydrated.
- A sudden, sharp intake of breath was the only sound in the room after the judge announced the controversial verdict.

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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.