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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Undertake: Meaning, Examples, and Usage (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：take on responsibility (undertake)

undertake 🔊

/ˌʌndərˈteɪk/

to accept a job, duty, or piece of work and start doing it.

Professional undertaking a task with confidence in office

take on responsibility 🔊

➕

/teɪk ɒn rɪˌspɒnsəˈbɪlɪti/

To begin and accept a task or duty, often implying a willingness to handle it.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Under + take: to take a task under one's control, assuming responsibility.

💡 Mnemonic

Think: you 'take' a heavy load 'under' your arms to carry it — you 'undertake' the task.

📖 Example

The young engineer felt ready to undertake his first major project at the company. 🔊 The young engineer felt prepared to accept his first big project at the company.

🔗 Collocations

undertake a project – to begin and carry out a project

undertake a task – to start and complete a specific task

undertake a responsibility – to accept a duty or obligation

🔄 Synonyms

assume (v.) – to take on a responsibility or role

take on (phrasal v.) – to accept a challenge or duty

shoulder (v.) – to bear a burden or responsibility

🚫 Antonyms

avoid (v.) – to keep away from or prevent

shirk (v.) – to neglect or avoid a duty

decline (v.) – to refuse politely to accept

🌱 Derivatives

undertaking (n.) – a task or enterprise that is undertaken

undertaker (n.) – a person who undertakes a task, historically a contractor; now often used for funeral directors

📖 Cultural Story

From Old English 'undertacan' meaning 'to take under'. Evolved to mean 'assume a duty', frequently used in legal and business contexts for formal commitments.

Meaning 2：make a formal promise (undertake)

undertake 🔊

/ˌʌndərˈteɪk/

to promise formally that you will do something.

Student making a formal promise to teacher in classroom

make a formal promise 🔊

➕

/meɪk ə ˈfɔːrməl ˈprɒmɪs/

To formally commit to doing something, often with a sense of obligation or legal binding.

📁 Category：Laws & Regulations 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The company undertook to finish all repairs within one week. 🔊 The company formally promised to complete all repairs within a week.

🔗 Collocations

undertake to do something – to formally promise to perform a specific action

undertake that clause – to formally guarantee a certain condition

undertake an obligation – to accept a legal or moral duty

🔄 Synonyms

promise (v.) – to assure someone that one will do something

pledge (v.) – to make a solemn promise or commitment

vow (v.) – to make a serious or sacred promise

🚫 Antonyms

refuse (v.) – to indicate unwillingness to do something

deny (v.) – to declare something to be untrue or refuse a request

neglect (v.) – to fail to care for or give attention to

🌱 Derivatives

undertaking (n.) – a formal promise or commitment

undertaker (n.) – one who undertakes a task; historically a contractor