take care

idiomatic phrase

1
: to be careful or watchful : to exercise caution or prudence
Because fish is more delicate than beef, take care when pounding it thin.Sam Gugino
Patients also should take care in storing their drugs because heat exposure could affect their efficacy, [Aaron] Bernstein says.Marlene Cimons
often used informally to express good wishes when parting, at the end of a message, etc.
I'll see you next week. Take care!
2
: to give particular attention to doing or not doing something
When he had finished writing, Cluny pushed the parchment under his pillow, taking care to leave just a small corner of it jutting out.Brian Jacques
In this land of ritual, Westerners should take care to inform themselves of protocol.Jeff Morgan
Open oysters carefully just before they are required, taking care not to spill the liquor in their deep shells.Elizabeth Craig
see also take care of

Examples of take care in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web From my go-to Ritual postnatal vitamins, which gave me the nutrients my body needed, to a nasal aspirator that helped my infant recover from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), these items were truly so helpful in the transition to taking care of two kids. Holly Klamer, Ms, Parents, 25 Mar. 2024 By taking care of themselves, entrepreneurs can recharge their energy, reduce stress, and improve their well-being. Maria Williams, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024 Leigh 4, Westmont 1 Elliana Snyder was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and one double as Leigh took care of business against Westmont. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2024 Our desires to take care of our sons and ourselves seemed mutually exclusive. Clarissa Wei, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2024 With all that in mind, see what the experts say are the best ways to take care of that second day hair do below. Ana Morales, Vogue, 23 Mar. 2024 How to take care of yourself in a recurrent BV cycle Don’t self-diagnose. Mara Santilli, SELF, 21 Mar. 2024 Thanks for adventuring around the globe with me and taking care of our little fluff ball. Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024 My parents took care of my material needs with generosity. Sahaj Kaur Kohli, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'take care.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of take care was in 1562

Cite this Entry

“Take care.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20care. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on take care

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