take meaning

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "take meaning" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It means to understand or interpret the meaning of something. Example: "I had to reread the poem several times to truly take meaning from it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

The economic damage it would cause would reduce the tax take, meaning less money could be spent on public services.

The Guardian - Opinion

But the same could be said for many countries, from Norway to Nigeria, where the "total government take," meaning taxes, royalties and other fees on oil and gas activities, sometimes exceeds 90 percent.

The New York Times

But listless GDP growth will hit the tax take, meaning public-sector borrowing will fall to only 3.6 per cent in 2014-5, according to the NIESR, rather than the Office for Budget Responsibility's forecast of 2.1 per cent.

Independent

Since 2009, wind farms have been able to apply for five-year permits, allowing them to "take" — meaning kill — a certain number of eagles, as long as the farms demonstrate that they have undertaken adequate measures to keep the birds safe.

The New York Times - Science

In her bestselling book, The Female Brain, Dr. Brizendine explains that because baby girls are born interested in emotional expression, they take meaning about themselves from a look, a touch, every reaction from the people they come into contact with.

Huffington Post

"I feel honored because it means that my students, who teach me so much and make my job interesting, take meaning from my teaching," she said.

University of Chicago

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

James took meaning to be an intimate part of the use of ideas for expediting action.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Twardowski takes the meaning of a name to be the content of the presentation that, as the name makes known, is taking place in the speaker (§3), that is, Twardowski takes meaning to be something mental and individual.

SEP

We would simply take meanings to be partial functions from DRSs to sets of DRSs, and then replace each construction rule with an appropriate such function.

SEP

DSC crude strictly compared VCM icon primitives, whereas DSC semantic took meaning into account.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

Felipe Massa also took advantage, meaning a Ferrari one-two.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "take meaning" when you want to emphasize the active process of understanding or interpreting something, often implying a personal or subjective understanding. For instance, "I try to "take meaning" from every conversation I have".

Common error

While "take meaning" is generally acceptable, consider more formal alternatives like "derive meaning" or "ascertain meaning" in academic or professional writing to maintain a higher level of formality.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "take meaning" functions as a verb phrase where "take" is the verb and "meaning" is the direct object. It expresses the action of understanding or interpreting something. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "take meaning" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase that describes the act of understanding or interpreting something. According to Ludwig AI, it's appropriate for various contexts, though more formal alternatives might be preferred in academic or professional settings. It's frequently found in news articles, scientific papers, and academic discussions. When using "take meaning", emphasize the active process of understanding and consider the specific nuance you wish to convey. Alternatives such as "derive meaning", "extract meaning", or "interpret meaning" can provide subtle variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

derive meaning

Emphasizes the process of extracting meaning from something.

extract meaning

Highlights the act of pulling out a specific meaning.

glean meaning

Suggests gathering meaning bit by bit, often from sparse information.

infer meaning

Focuses on deducing meaning based on context or implication.

interpret meaning

Implies a more subjective understanding or translation of meaning.

grasp meaning

Emphasizes understanding and comprehension.

understand meaning

Directly expresses comprehension.

appreciate meaning

Suggests a deeper understanding and value of the meaning.

discern meaning

Highlights the ability to perceive or recognize meaning, especially when it is not obvious.

ascertain meaning

Emphasizes discovering meaning through investigation or inquiry.

FAQs

How can I use "take meaning" in a sentence?

You can use "take meaning" to describe the process of understanding or interpreting something. For example, "It's important to "take meaning" from your experiences" or "I tried to "take meaning" from the abstract painting".

What are some alternatives to "take meaning"?

Alternatives to "take meaning" include "derive meaning", "extract meaning", or "interpret meaning", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "take meaning from" something?

Yes, it is grammatically correct to say "take meaning from" something. The phrase is often used to indicate that someone is actively trying to understand or interpret something.

What's the difference between "take meaning" and "find meaning"?

"Take meaning" suggests an active effort to understand or interpret, while "find meaning" implies discovering an inherent meaning that already exists. For example, you "take meaning" from a complex text, but you might "find meaning" in life.