Dic: take on (some of its usages)

■ take (something/somebody) on

1. to decide to do something; to agree to be responsible for something/somebody.

• I can't take on any extra work.
• We're not taking on any new clients at present.

2. (of a bus, plane or ship) to allow somebody/something to enter

• The bus stopped to take on more passengers.
• The ship took on more fuel at Freetown.

.... OALD

1. If you take on a job or responsibility, especially a difficult one, you accept it.

• No other organisation was able or willing to take on the job.

3. If a vehicle such as a bus or ship takes on passengers, goods, or fuel, it stops in order to allow them to get on or to be loaded on.

• This is a brief stop to take on passengers and water.

CF. 5. (no passive) If you take someone on, you fight them or compete against them, especially when they are bigger or more powerful than you are.

• Democrats were reluctant to take on a president whose popularity ratings were historically high.
• I knew I couldn't take him on.

...... Cobuild