intake

The amount of food, drink, air, or another substance that enters the body or a system.

• Watch your daily salt intake.
• She increased her water intake during the summer.
• What is the recommended intake of this vitamin?

How to use it: intake of something (Reduce your intake of salt.)

Similar words: consumption

Common phrases: daily intake, salt intake, calorie intake, intake of something

An opening where air, water, or another liquid enters a pipe or machine.

• The air intake is blocked.
• Leaves collected around the water intake.
• The mechanic checked both engine intakes.

Similar words: inlet

Opposites: outlet

Common phrases: air intake, water intake, intake pipe, intake valve

An act of drawing air, food, or another substance into the body or a system.

• There was a sharp intake of breath.
• Each intake of air caused him pain.
• Food intake begins when the animal opens its mouth.

How to use it: an intake of something (We heard a sudden intake of breath.)

Similar words: taking in

Common phrases: intake of breath, sharp intake, intake of air

The point where a tube or cylinder starts to become narrower.

• The tube narrows at the intake.
• Measure the diameter just before the intake.
• The drawing marks the intake where the cylinder begins to narrow.

Common phrases: cylinder intake, tube intake, intake section