take up in WordNet English dictionary

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

take up in English Wiktionary