take up with

To start a close friendship or romantic relationship with someone.

• He has taken up with a new crowd.
• She took up with an old friend after the divorce.
• Why did you take up with those people?

How to use it: take up with someone (She took up with a musician from the village.)

Similar words: befriend, get involved with

Common phrases: take up with someone, take up with strangers

To bring someone or something to a higher place while going there yourself.

• Take the box up with you.
• She took her children up with her to the hilltop.
• Can you take these tools up with you?

How to use it: take someone/something up with someone (Take the bags up with you when you go upstairs.)

Similar words: bring up, carry up

Common phrases: take something up with someone, take someone up with someone

To begin to feel interested in a subject, activity, or idea.

• She took up with spiritualism.
• As a young man, he took up with radical ideas.
• He had taken up with a new philosophy of life.

How to use it: take up with something (He took up with new ideas about education.)

Similar words: become interested in

Common phrases: take up with something, take up with ideas

To start living in the same home as someone, or staying in their home.

• He took up with a local family.
• She took up with her widowed sister after selling her house.
• They had taken up with relatives in the next village.

How to use it: take up with someone (After leaving home, he took up with his aunt.)

Similar words: move in with, lodge with

Common phrases: take up with someone, take up with relatives