uptake
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the ability to understand something, usually used with 'quick' or 'slow'.
n.the capacity for comprehension; almost exclusively used in the idiomatic phrases 'quick on the uptake' or 'slow on the uptake'.
Simple“He is very quick on the uptake, so you only need to explain the rules once.”
In context“Although the software interface was somewhat counterintuitive, the new interns proved remarkably quick on the uptake during the initial training session.”
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
n.the process of a body or plant taking in a substance like food or oxygen.
n.the process by which an organism or cell absorbs a substance, such as a nutrient or a drug.
Simple“The doctor is worried about the patient's low oxygen uptake.”
In context“Researchers are investigating how soil acidity affects the uptake of essential minerals by cereal crops in sub-Saharan Africa.”
Synonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the number of people who start using a new service or technology.
n.the rate or degree to which a new product, service, or idea is accepted and used by a population.
Simple“The uptake of the new vaccine has been higher than the government expected.”
In context“Despite an aggressive marketing campaign, the initial uptake of the digital banking platform remained disappointing among older demographics.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
v.to take in or absorb a substance.
v.to absorb or incorporate a substance into a biological or mechanical system.
Simple“Plants uptake carbon dioxide from the air during the day.”
In context“The study measured how efficiently the synthetic membrane could uptake heavy metals from contaminated industrial wastewater.”
- 05 C2 Proficiency
n.a pipe that carries smoke or steam upwards to a chimney.
n.a vertical pipe or flue that carries smoke or hot gases upward from a boiler or furnace.
Simple“The engineer inspected the uptake to ensure the steam was venting correctly.”
In context“In older steamship designs, the uptake was a critical component for directing exhaust gases from the boiler room to the funnel.”
“Trials of the self-testing in London suggest it could lead to one in 10 women to come forward for screening – boosting uptake by around 400,000 a year.”
“Britain abandoned a scheme to deport undocumented migrants to Rwanda, while Italian-run facilities to process migrants in Albania have faced legal challenges and a slow uptake.”
From Middle English uptaken (“to take up, lift”), partial calque of earlier Middle English upnimen (“to take up, lift”), equivalent to up- + take. Compare Swedish upptaga, uppta (“to take up”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.