Etymology Dictionary

UNDERTAKE,  to take upon oneself, attempt.  (Hybrid; E. and Scand.)  M.E. vndertaken, strong verb; pt. t. vndertok, see Havelok, 377.   It first appears in the Ormulum, l. 10314.   The latter part of the word is of Scand. origin; see Under and Take.   β. The word is a sort of translation of (and was suggested by) the A.S. underniman, to understand, receive, Matt. xix. 12, and A.S. underfón, to receive, Matt. x. 41, John, xviii. 3.   Neither of these words has precisely the same sense, but both niman and fón have the exact sense of E. take (Icel. taka).   The real A.S. word, with the same prefix and the exact sense, is undergitan (lit. to underget), John, viii. 27, xii. 16.   Der. undertak-ing, Haml. ii. 1. 104; undertak-er, orig. one who takes a business in hand, Oth. iv. 1. 224, Tw. Nt. iii. 4. 349.