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noun Common

intake

IHN-tayk
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Intake (noun) means the amount of something (food, air, liquid) that a person or system takes in. Example: “Try to reduce your sugar intake by swapping fizzy drinks for water.”

noun
1
The amount of something (food, air, liquid) that a person or system takes in.
"Try to reduce your sugar intake by swapping fizzy drinks for water."
"Doctors recommend watching your daily salt intake."
"The engine's air intake was clogged with dust."
2
A group of people admitted to an organization, school, or programme at the same time.
"The school welcomes a new intake of pupils every September."
"The latest intake of recruits begins training on Monday morning."
"This year's intake of trainee nurses is the largest yet."

How to use intake

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the amount of something you consume, or the batch of new people entering somewhere.

Common pairings
calorie intake new intake fluid intake
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Word forms

Plural
intakes
Third person singular
intakes
Past tense
intook, intaken
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Try to reduce your sugar _____ by swapping fizzy drinks for water.

Etymology

An English dialectal word (Northern England/Scotland), formed from the verb take in, equivalent to in- plus take; see in- and take for more.

Origin: English

Related words

Rhymes for intake

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Frequently asked questions

What does “intake” mean?
The word “intake” means the amount of something (food, air, liquid) that a person or system takes in. In plain terms, either the amount of something you consume, or the batch of new people entering somewhere.
How do you pronounce “intake”?
“Intake” is pronounced IHN-tayk (/ˈɪnteɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “intake” in a sentence?
Here is “intake” used in a sentence: “Doctors recommend watching your daily salt intake.”
What part of speech is “intake”?
“Intake” is a noun.
Is “intake” a common word?
“Intake” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “intake” have?
“Intake” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the amount of something (food, air, liquid) that a person or system takes in.
What is the difference between intake and uptake?
Intake is the amount of something a person or system takes in, such as your daily water intake or an engine's air intake. Uptake is the absorbing of a substance once it is available, as in a plant's uptake of nutrients, and it also appears in the idiom 'quick on the uptake', meaning quick to understand.
Is intake one word or two?
As a noun it is always one word: intake. The two-word form appears only when 'take in' is used as a verb, as in 'she paused to take in the view'. You monitor your salt intake, but you take in information.

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