Etymology From Middle English uptaken (“to take up, lift”), partial calque of earlier Middle English upnimen (“to take up, lift”), equivalent to up- + take. Compare Swedish upptaga, uppta (“to take up”).
1
Understanding; comprehension.
2
Absorption, especially of food or nutrient by an organism.
The design provides for continuous smoke troughs of reinforced concrete, vented by circular uptakes, and the turntable area will be covered, using precast reinforced concrete bars down both sides of each track.1951 January, “Notes and News: New Roof for Cricklewood M.P.D.”, in Railway Magazine, page 67:
5
Dated The upcast pipe from the smokebox of a steam boiler towards the chimney.
Etymology From Middle English uptaken (“to take up, lift”), partial calque of earlier Middle English upnimen (“to take up, lift”), equivalent to up- + take. Compare Swedish upptaga, uppta (“to take up”).
He hearkned to his reason, and the childe Vptaking, to the Palmer gaue to beare [...].1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC: