undertake

present singular third person undertakes · participle present undertaking · past undertook · participle past undertaken · alternative obsolete undirtake

1. transitiveTo take upon oneself; to start, to embark on.

   They undertook cleaning the house room by room.

   2 more examples

   They undertook the new venture, not sure where it would lead.

   This said, he sat; and expectation held His look suspense, awaiting who appeared To second, or oppose, or undertake The perilous attempt.

   1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 417-420

   Synonyms: tackle, take on, set about

2. intransitiveTo commit oneself (to an obligation, activity etc.).

   He undertook to exercise more in future.

   2 more examples

   They undertook to clean the house room by room.

   […] if King Lewis vouchsafe to furnish us With some few bands of chosen soldiers, I’ll undertake to land them on our coast And force the tyrant from his seat by war.

   c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii]

3. UKinformalTo pass a slower moving vehicle on the curbside rather than on the side closest to oncoming traffic.

   Antonyms: overtake

4. archaicintransitiveTo pledge; to assert, assure; to dare say.

   That is her ransom; I deliver her; And those two counties I will undertake Your grace shall well and quietly enjoy.

   1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]

   1 more example

   […] if those Persons who are curious in collecting either Minerals, or the Shells, Teeth, or other Parts of Animal Bodies that have been buried in the Earth, do but search the Hills after Rains, and the Sea-Shores after Storms, I dare undertake they will not lose their Labour.

   1695, John Woodward, An Essay towards a Natural History of the Earth and Terrestrial Bodies, London: Richard Wilkin, Part 4, pp. 222-223

5. obsoletetransitiveTo take by trickery; to trap, to seize upon.
6. obsoleteTo assume, as a character; to take on.

   Quince. […] you must needs play Pyramus. Bottom. Well, I will undertake it.

   c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]

7. obsoleteTo engage with; to attack, take on in a fight.

   It is not fit your lordship should undertake every companion that you give offence to.

   1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]

8. obsoleteTo have knowledge of; to hear.

   Ne he his mouth would open unto wight, Untill that Guyon selfe unto him spake, And called Brigadore, (so was he hight,) Whose voice so soone as he did undertake, Eftsoones he stood as still as any stake,

   1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, page 34

9. obsoleteTo have or take charge of.

   To the water side I must conduct your grace; Then give my charge up to Sir Nicholas Vaux, Who undertakes you to your end.

   1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]

plural undertakes · alternative obsolete undirtake

1. UKinformalThe passing of slower traffic on the curbside rather than on the side closest to oncoming traffic.

   Antonyms: overtake