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Sunday
Apr042010

“I don't want to take up any more of your time.”

You're visiting your client's office for a meeting. You have finished all of the business you wanted to talk to her about, and now you're ready to leave. You start to say goodbye by saying:

Well, I don't want to take up any more of your time.

Well,

This word is used to change the topic of conversation. It's especially used when you're ready to end the conversation. Another example:

Well, I should get going.

It's useful in polite and formal situations, but also wouldn't be strange to use in a casual conversation either.

(I don't want to / I won't) take up any more of your time

This is a polite set phrase that's used at the end of a conversation. It suggests that the person you're talking to is busy and their time is valuable. You are using up their time by talking to them. So this phrase shows respect for that person, even though you may be the one who is actually busy and wants to leave.

take up (time)

To "take up" something means to use it. This phrasal verb is most often used with "time" and "space".

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