Take out means to remove something (from a bag, a pocket or a cupboard) or to carry it outside: take out the rubbish. When you talk about banks or insurance, “take out” means to arrange: take out a loan, take out insurance. In American English, “takeout” also means food to go; in British English, it is “takeaway”.
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take out + thing; take + thing + out of + bag/pocket; take out a loan/insurance; take + person + out for + meal
- The teacher asked us to take out a pen and a sheet of paper.
- Could you take out the rubbish on your way to work? The bin is full.
- Many students take out a loan to pay for their degree.
What changed
First versionWe took a credit to buy a flat.
RevisionWe took out a loan to buy a flat.
Money you borrow from a bank is not “a credit” in English but “a loan”, and getting one is “take out a loan”. “Credit” more often refers to buying something now and paying later: buy on credit.
“Take someone out” means to invite a person somewhere and usually pay for them: He took me out for dinner on my birthday. The pronoun goes between “take” and “out” here.
Your turn
At airport security, I took off my belt, ___ my laptop and put it in a separate tray.
Show the answer
took out — The laptop has to come out of the bag and go into a tray: “took out”. “Took off” fits a belt or shoes, things you are wearing, and you don't wear a laptop.
Describe how your working or study day starts. Say what you take out and where from.
When I get to the office, I take my laptop and charger out of my backpack and plug them in.
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