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

Many of us are incredible about taking care of others, but perhaps less fastidious about attending to our own needs. —Lori B Daniels, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025

At the same time, district officials explained, in writing, how parents can designate someone to take care of their children if they’re separated from them — a process that requires a notarized document known as a Delegation of Parental Authority, or a DOPA. —Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 10 Feb. 2025

The Wildcats took care of the second-best team in their league thanks to strong performances from Nicole Steiner and Ashley Childers. —Christian Babcock, The Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2025

But the map served a political aim, too: to convince a skeptical world that Israel was taking care to protect civilians. —Christine Leuenberger, The Conversation, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 2