undertaking

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un·der·tak·ing

(ŭn′dər-tā′kĭng)

1. A task or venture undertaken: Climbing the mountain was a dangerous undertaking.

2. The action of beginning a task or venture: the undertaking of the expedition.

3. A guaranty, pledge, or promise: gave an undertaking that he would not disclose trade secrets.

4. The profession or duties of a funeral director.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

undertaking

(ˈʌndəˌteɪkɪŋ)

1. something undertaken; task, venture, or enterprise

2. an agreement to do something

3. the business of an undertaker

4. (Automotive Engineering) informal the practice of overtaking on an inner lane a vehicle which is travelling in an outer lane

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

un•der•tak•ing

(ˌʌn dərˈteɪ kɪŋ, ˈʌn dərˌteɪ- for 1-3; ˈʌn dərˌteɪ kɪŋ for 4,5 )

n.

1. the act of a person who undertakes any task or responsibility.

2. a task, enterprise, etc., undertaken.

3. a pledge or guarantee.

4. the business of an undertaker or funeral director.

adj.

5. pertaining to such a business.

[1325–75]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	undertaking - any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted; "he prepared for great undertakings" project, task, labor child's play, cinch, duck soup, piece of cake, pushover, breeze, walkover, picnic, snap - any undertaking that is easy to do; "marketing this product will be no picnic" work - activity directed toward making or doing something; "she checked several points needing further work" adventure, dangerous undertaking, escapade, risky venture - a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful) assignment - an undertaking that you have been assigned to do (as by an instructor) baby - a project of personal concern to someone; "this project is his baby" endeavor, endeavour, enterprise - a purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness); "he had doubts about the whole enterprise" labor of love, labour of love - productive work performed voluntarily without material reward or compensation endurance contest, marathon - any long and arduous undertaking no-brainer - anything that requires little thought proposition - a task to be dealt with; "securing adequate funding is a time-consuming proposition" large order, tall order - a formidable task or requirement; "finishing in time was a tall order but we did it" venture - any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome
	2.	undertaking - the trade of a funeral director craft, trade - the skilled practice of a practical occupation; "he learned his trade as an apprentice"

undertaking

noun

1. task, business, operation, project, game, attempt, effort, affair, venture, enterprise, endeavour Organizing the show has been a massive undertaking.

2. promise, commitment, pledge, word, vow, assurance, word of honour, solemn word British Coal gave an undertaking that it was maintaining the pits.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

undertaking

noun

Something undertaken, especially something requiring extensive planning and work:

enterprise, project, venture.

Translations

إلْتِزامعَمَل، مُهِمَّه

podnikzávazek

løfteopgave

Unternehmen Versprechen

empresa garantía promesa tarea

entreprise pompes funèbres promesse

vállalás

skuldbinding, formlegt loforîverkefni, viîfangsefni

impresa iniziativa l'intraprendere promessa

foretakende

görev iş söz vaat

任务许诺

undertaking

[ˌʌndəˈteɪkɪŋ] N

1. (= enterprise) → empresa f; (= task) → tarea f

2. (= pledge) → garantía f
to give an undertaking that → garantizar que ...
I can give no such undertaking → no puedo garantizar tal cosa, no puedo prometer eso

3. [ˈʌndəˌteɪkɪŋ] (Brit) (Aut) → adelantamiento m por el lado contrario or el carril indebido

4. [ˈʌndəˌteɪkɪŋ] (Brit) (= arranging funerals) → pompas fpl fúnebres

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

undertaking

[ˈʌndə^rteɪkɪŋ] n

(= venture) → entreprise f

(= promise) → engagement m
to give an undertaking to do sth → s'engager à faire qch
to give an undertaking that ... → s'engager à ce que + subj ...

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

undertaking

(= enterprise) → Vorhaben nt, → Unternehmen nt; (esp Comm: = project) → Projekt nt

(= promise) → Zusicherung f, → Wort nt; I give you my solemn undertaking that I will never do it again → ich verpflichte mich feierlich, es nie wieder zu tun; I can give no such undertaking → das kann ich nicht versprechen

(= funeral business) → Bestattungsgewerbe nt

undertaking

n (Brit Aut inf) → Überholen nt → auf der Innenseite

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

undertaking

[ˌʌndəˈteɪkɪŋ] n

a. (task) → impresa
it is quite an undertaking! → è una bella impresa!

b. (promise) → promessa, assicurazione f
to give an undertaking that ... → dare la propria parola che...

undertake

(andəˈteik) verb – past tense ˌunderˈtook (-ˈtuk) past participle ˌunderˈtaken –

1. to accept (a duty, task, responsibility etc). He undertook the job willingly.

2. to promise (eg to do something). He has undertaken to appear at the police court tomorrow.

ˈundertaker (-teikə) noun

a person who organizes funerals.

ˌunderˈtaking noun

1. a task or piece of work. I didn't realize what a large undertaking this job would be.

2. a promise. He made an undertaking that he would pay the money back.

References in classic literature ?

"The proposal for this scientific undertaking was officially made, yesterday, at the rooms of the Royal Geographical Society, and the sum of twenty-five hundred pounds was voted to defray the expenses of the enterprise.

The details of the undertaking were published in full in the bulletins of the Geographical Society of Paris; a remarkable article appeared in the Nouvelles Annales des Voyages, de la Geographie, de l'Histoire, et de l'Archaeologie de M.

More than one bold adventurer presented himself, offering to share the dangers as well as the glory of the undertaking; but he refused them all, without giving his reasons for rejecting them.

View in context

I arrived here yesterday, and my first task is to assure my dear sister of my welfare and increasing confidence in the success of my undertaking.

But supposing all these conjectures to be false, you cannot contest the inestimable benefit which I shall confer on all mankind, to the last generation, by discovering a passage near the pole to those countries, to reach which at present so many months are requisite; or by ascertaining the secret of the magnet, which, if at all possible, can only be effected by an undertaking such as mine.

Six years have passed since I resolved on my present undertaking. I can, even now, remember the hour from which I dedicated myself to this great enterprise.

View in context

When the verdict was called for, the Jury declined, As the word was so puzzling to spell; But they ventured to hope that the Snark wouldn't mind Undertaking that duty as well.

View in context

If we wish to see King Roquat of the Rocks, we must visit his own country, where he is all powerful, and therefore it will be a dangerous undertaking."

But I wish you may have success in your undertaking, for I am heartily tired of ruling this stupid kingdom, and I need more leisure in which to admire my beautiful heads."

View in context

The parties to this undertaking were John Holcomb, an apothecary; Wilson Merle, a lawyer, and Andrus C.

View in context

I undertook to guarantee him against all risks in the undertaking, from which his wife, a woman of no imagination, sought to frighten him.