- breathtaking (adj.)
- 1867, from breath + present participle of take (v.). Phrase to take (one's) breath away with astonishment or delight is from 1864. Breathtaking (n.) "act of taking breaths or a breath" is from 1620s. Related: Breathtakingly.
- leave-taking (n.)
- late 14c., from leave (n.) + present participle of take (v.).
- painstaking
- 1550s (n.), 1690s (adj.), paynes taking, from plural of pain (n.) + present participle of take (v.). Related: Painstakingly.
- undertaking (n.)
- "enterprise," early 15c., verbal noun from undertake (v.). An Old English word for this was underfangenes.