From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
take up
v 1: pursue or resume; "take up a matter for consideration"
2: adopt; "take up new ideas" [syn: take up, latch on,
fasten on, hook on, seize on]
3: turn one's interest to; "He took up herpetology at the age of
fifty"
4: take up time or space; "take up the slack"
5: begin work or acting in a certain capacity, office or job;
"Take up a position"; "start a new job" [syn: start, take
up]
6: take up and practice as one's own [syn: adopt, borrow,
take over, take up]
7: occupy or take on; "He assumes the lotus position"; "She took
her seat on the stage"; "We took our seats in the orchestra";
"She took up her position behind the tree"; "strike a pose"
[syn: assume, take, strike, take up]
8: take up a liquid or a gas either by adsorption or by
absorption [syn: sorb, take up]
9: take out or up with or as if with a scoop; "scoop the sugar
out of the container" [syn: scoop, scoop out, lift out,
scoop up, take up]
10: accept; "The cloth takes up the liquid" [syn: take in,
take up]
11: take in, also metaphorically; "The sponge absorbs water
well"; "She drew strength from the minister's words" [syn:
absorb, suck, imbibe, soak up, sop up, suck up,
draw, take in, take up]
12: take up as if with a sponge [syn: take in, sop up, suck
in, take up]
13: return to a previous location or condition; "The painting
resumed its old condition when we restored it" [syn:
resume, take up]