This video explains the meaning and use of the phrasal verb 'take out' in English. We show you how to use it with some easy examples to help you learn this phrasal verb so you can use it in spoken and Business English.
The versatility of this phrasal verb can make it confusing for English learners as it can be used to both describe taking a person out on a date and murdering them! However, it is important to remember that the most common theme running through its various usages is that of removing, bringing, or carrying somebody or something from one place to another. Usually from somewhere concealed or private to the outside or public.
For example, if you take someone out on a date, you generally bring them somewhere public like a cinema, restaurant, or nightclub. If you 'take somebody out' in a violent sense, you remove them as a threat or, quite simply, kill them. If you take food out from a restaurant, you bring it outside with you rather than staying to eat on the premises. Similarly, taking money out of a bank or ATM is removing it and bringing it away with you.
A noun or pronoun can be used between 'take' and 'out,' and, as the video shows, this phrasal verb is more common in a social context.