Why can you say "take/accept credit cards", but not "take/accept murder"? Why can't you use "take" in the last example?
take/accept
Because murder is something someone does to another person... You can't murder a credit card....
I'm not completely sure I understand where you're coming from.
I'm not completely sure I understand where you're coming from.
Can you say "to get rid of the president, I would accept murder as an option "? If so, what does "accept" mean there¿
What does "accept" mean here: "we accept credit cards."?
What does "accept" mean here: "we accept credit cards."?
These are two different meanings of "accept".
"I would accept murder as an option." = I would allow murder as an option.
"We accept credit cards." Here the word "accept" is used more like "receive". A credit card is a physical object that they "take" from you: "If you offer us a credit card, we will accept it."
Compare and contrast definitions 1 and 2 from here: http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/accept
- Kef
"I would accept murder as an option." = I would allow murder as an option.
"We accept credit cards." Here the word "accept" is used more like "receive". A credit card is a physical object that they "take" from you: "If you offer us a credit card, we will accept it."
Compare and contrast definitions 1 and 2 from here: http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/accept
- Kef
<<Can you say "to get rid of the president, I would accept murder as an option "? If so, what does "accept" mean there¿
What does "accept" mean here: "we accept credit cards."?>>
In the first sentence "accept" means to consent to or agree with, or (in some cases) willing to consider. So in this sense of the word, it is possible to say "to get rid of the president, I would accept [agree with using, consent to using, be willing to consider] murder as an option."
But you might not want to say this too loudly in public... ;)
In the second sentence, "accept" means to take something offered; in this case, it is something offered as a form of payment. So in this sense of the word, it is also possible to say "We accept [are willing to receive] credit cards," with "as a form of payment" implied but typically not stated.
The word can be correctly used in either of these senses.
What does "accept" mean here: "we accept credit cards."?>>
In the first sentence "accept" means to consent to or agree with, or (in some cases) willing to consider. So in this sense of the word, it is possible to say "to get rid of the president, I would accept [agree with using, consent to using, be willing to consider] murder as an option."
But you might not want to say this too loudly in public... ;)
In the second sentence, "accept" means to take something offered; in this case, it is something offered as a form of payment. So in this sense of the word, it is also possible to say "We accept [are willing to receive] credit cards," with "as a form of payment" implied but typically not stated.
The word can be correctly used in either of these senses.