What is "take in"

vb. 1 (lb en transitive) To allow a person or an animal to live in one's home. 2 (lb en transitive) To receive (goods) into one's home for the purpose of processing for a fee. 3 To subscribe to home delivery of. 4 (lb en transitive) To shorten (a garment) or make it smaller. 5 (lb en transitive climbing) To tighten (a belaying rope). (qualifier: Also ''take up''.) 6 (lb en transitive) To absorb or comprehend. 7 To attend a showing of. 8 To deceive; to hoodwink.

1. v. provide with shelter

2. fool or hoax; "The immigrant was duped because he trusted everyone"; "You can't fool me!" [syn: gull, dupe, slang, befool, cod, fool, put on, put one over, put one across]

3. suck or take up or in; "A black star absorbs all matter" [syn: absorb] [ant: emit]

4. visit for entertainment; "take in the sights"

5. call for and obtain payment of; "we collected over a million dollars in outstanding debts"; "he collected the rent" [syn: collect]

6. see or watch; "view a show on television"; "This program will be seen all over the world"; "view an exhibition"; "Catch a show on Broadway"; "see a movie" [syn: watch, view, see, catch]

7. express willingness to have in one's home or environs; "The community warmly received the refugees" [syn: receive, invite]

8. fold up; "take in the sails" [syn: gather in]

9. take up mentally; "he absorbed the knowledge or beliefs of his tribe" [syn: absorb, assimilate, ingest]

10. earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages; "How much do you make a month in your new job?"; "She earns a lot in her new job"; "this merger brought in lots of money"; "He clears $5,000 each month" [syn: gain, clear, make, earn, realize, realise, pull in, bring in]

11. hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers; "We overheard the conversation at the next table" [syn: catch, overhear]

12. accept; "The cloth takes up the liquid" [syn: take up]

13. 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 up]

14. take up as if with a sponge [syn: sop up, suck in, take up]

15. serve oneself to, or consume regularly; "Have another bowl of chicken soup!"; "I don't take sugar in my coffee" [syn: consume, ingest, take, have] [ant: abstain]

16. take into one's family; "They adopted two children from Nicaragua" [syn: adopt]

17. make (clothes) smaller; "Please take in this skirt--I've lost weight" [ant: let out]