partake, v.
(pəˈteɪk, pɑː-)
Also 6–7 pertake, 7 Sc. partack.
[Back-formation (after 1550) from partak-ing, partake-r, which were 16th c. syncopated forms of the earlier regular combinations part-taking, part-taker, repr. L. particeps, -cipium. Cf. housekeep vb. from housekeeping, housekeeper.
As a direct formation, a vb. part-take would have been against Eng. idiom. In 16–17 c., the feeling of connexion with take v. was so weak, that the pa. tense and pple. were often partaked.]
I. trans.
1. a. To take a part in, to share in.
| 1589 Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 32, I lent you sighes to partake your sorrowes. 1594 Carew Huarte's Exam. Wits vii. (1596) 96 The propertie of the generall is equally partaked by the special. c 1611 Chapman Iliad ix. 362, I never will partake his works, nor counsels, as before. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 153 ¶3, I had never..partaken one triumph over a conquered fox. 1805 Southey Madoc in W. xiii. The old man Partook that feeling. 1863 Kinglake Crimea (1876) I. xiv. 234 Adventurers who were willing to partake his fortunes. |
b. To share (a meal); to take (food or drink) in company with others; hence (without the idea of sharing), To eat or drink of, to take some of, to ‘take’. (Cf. 4 b.) Now rare or Obs. exc. absol.
| 1617 Sir W. Mure Misc. Poems xxi. 114 Thou may partack such as this soyle affords. 1725 Pope Odyss. iv. 298 Alternate all partake the grateful springs. 1795 Southey Joan of Arc iii. 29 They..reclined Beside him, and his frugal fare partook. 1837 Ticknor in Life, etc. (1876) II. iv. 71 When the cardinal had partaken the sacrament he administered it to her. 1844 D. B. Reid Illustr. Theory & Pract. Ventilation 181 Nor was any of the members aware..that they had partaken more heartily than usual. 1870 J. P. Smith Widow Goldsmith's Daughter ix. 144 Chris could not touch anything, but the widow partook with the particular relish which a well-spent morning gave her. 1974 J. McClure Gooseberry Fool v. 80 He hardly ever drank... He didn't often partake, but then it was also bloody hot. |
† c. To share in (a communication or news), to be informed of, be made acquainted with. Obs.
| c 1592 Marlowe Jew of Malta v. 296 And, Gouernour, now partake my policy. 1605 1st Pt. Ieronimo ii. iv. 70 But has the King pertooke your embassy? 1607 Dekker Northw. Hoe i. Wks. 1873 III. 5 May we without offence pertake the ground of it? 1667 Milton P.L. xii. 598 Let her with thee partake what thou hast heard. |
† 2. To give a part of (something) to to share it with another or others; to impart, communicate; esp. to communicate information about (something), to make known. Obs.
| 1561 T. Hoby tr. Castiglione's Courtyer (1577) K v, A liberall man that partaketh his goods in common with his friends. c 1585 Cartwright in R. Browne Answ. 87 Christ, who..hath partaked vnto them his holy spirite. 1594 Marlowe & Nashe Dido iv. ii, If you would partake with me the cause Of this.., I would be thankfull for such curtesie. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. v. iii. 132 Go together..your exultation Partake to euery one. |
† 3. To make (a person) a sharer or partaker (of information or news); to make acquainted with something; to inform of. Obs.
| 1565 MS. Cott. Cal. B. ix. lf. 218 Your lordship, I am sure, is partaken of such letters as I write to Mr. Secretary. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. iv. 20 My friend, hight Philemon, I did partake Of all my love and all my privitie. |
II. intr.
4. a. To take a part or share in some action or condition; to have a portion or lot in common with others; to participate. Const. in, of († with) the thing; with the person sharing.
| c 1585 R. Browne Answ. Cartwright 69 Howe then should the people partake with them in the sacrifices? 1597 Beard Theatre God's Judgem. (1612) 412 As for Cleopatra,..as she partaked of the sin, so shee did of the punishment. 1640 Habington Edw. IV 105 The King having even after death partaked with the troubles and disgraces of his life. 1664 Marvell Corr. Wks. 1872–5 II. 161 The King my Master has sent me..to congratulate in His stead, and pertake of Your Majestie's present felicity. 1708 Stanhope Paraphr. (1709) IV. 244 This Care you have partook of. 1771 Goldsm. Hist. Eng. IV. 308 Bred in a luxurious court, without partaking in its effeminacy. 1838 Whittier Quaker of Old. Time iii, He felt that wrong with wrong partakes, That nothing stands alone. 1882 Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. cxix. 74 We do not only meet to share each others' burdens, but to partake in each other's joys. |
b. esp. (with of) To receive, get, or have a share or portion of. Often used without any notion of sharing with others, esp. in reference to eating and drinking, = to take some of, take of, take.
| 1601 R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. (1603) 122 There is no cittie that doth more absolutely inioy her owne commodities, and doth more freely pertake of others. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 14 The streets do almost all the night long partake of their musicke. 1635 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Banish'd Virg. 34 If it..partaked of its substance and colour. 1656 Blount Glossogr., Parasite, a flatterer,..one that is still hanging on some rich man..to the end to pertake of his good cheer. 1795 Gentl. Mag. 543/1 Nonjuring clergymen and their families partook very largely of his benevolence. 1805 Emily Clark Banks of Douro III. 41 Her solitary meals she partook of in the apartment next the eating room. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 254 He would of course have no right to partake of the money, till their claims were satisfied. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. iii. iv, Your papa invited Mr. R. to partake of our lowly fare. |
† c. To share the nature of; to have some of the qualities or characteristics of. Obs.
| c 1585 R. Browne Answ. Cartwright 64 They did partake with such watchemen. 1620 T. Granger Div. Logike 104 So truce partaketh more of warre then of peace. |
d. To have something of, possess a certain amount of (a quality or attribute); † formerly also, To contain some of, have an admixture of (a material substance) (obs.).
| c 1615 Bacon Adv. Sir G. Villiers ii. §16 The attorney of the duchy of Lancaster..partakes of both qualities, partly of a judge, and partly of an attorney-general. 1627–77 Feltham Resolves i. xvi. 28 For that which doth partake on both: it makes Just God, a friend to unjust man, without being unjust. 1776 G. Semple Building in Water 40 Where the Gravel partook of Mud. Ibid. 43 Sea-water that partook of putrid Water, running from a foul Sewer. 1858 O. W. Holmes Aut. Breakf.-t. iii. 21 Scientific knowledge, even in the most modest persons, has mingled with it a something which partakes of insolence. |
† 5. To take part with a person, take sides. Obs.
| c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. cxlix, When I against my selfe with thee pertake. |