Definition of take down

The phrase "take down" in its figurative sense, meaning to remove or dismantle something, is believed to have originated in the mid-19th century, specifically in the context of taking down stock market quotations from a chalkboard or a bulletin board. This usage was popular in financial trading houses and exchanges during this time. The root of the phrase, "take," is an Old English word with a long history in the English language. It has numerous senses, ranging from capturing or acquiring something (as in "take a prize" or "take a photograph") to consuming or eating something ("take a bite"). In the context of "take down," the verb has a sense of physical removal or dismantling, which was likely influenced by earlier uses of the word in the context of examining, studying, or analyzing something, as in "take down notes" or "take down an address." The verb "down" has also been in use in English since Old English times, though its meaning has evolved significantly. In the context of "take down," it is used in its literal sense of moving something or someone to a lower position, but its use here is probably more influenced by its metaphorical sense of reducing or removing something, as in "bring someone down" or "bring down prices." So the phrase "take down" combines both a literal and a metaphorical sense of the words "take" and "down," to create a concise and precise description of removing or dismantling something.