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

The Lakers also needed to take care of the ball against an opponent that relies heavily on transition opportunities to make up for its subpar half-court offense. —Khobi Price, Oc Register, 1 Apr. 2025

The standings will be taken care of based on how the Padres play. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025

So when Bass and other politicians crow about speedily taking care of one part of reconstituting fire areas, survivors of these and future fires easily see how empty even comforting words can be. —Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2025

Carefully crack an egg into each bowl, taking care not to include any shell. —Vicky Hallett, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for take care

• aftercare
• anywhere
• billionaire
• chinaware
• debonair
• dinnerware
• disrepair
• doctrinaire
• earthenware
• everywhere
• frigidaire
• kitchenware