The phrase "betook oneself" is spelled with the letter "o" followed by "o" and "k" as in "Buh-took" /bəˈtʊk/. This term is used to indicate a person's departure from a place, or a change in their path. Although this phrase may seem archaic, it can still be found in literary works or historic documents. Understanding the IPA phonetic transcription can help readers with English as their second language accurately pronounce this phrase.
The phrase betook oneself is derived from the Old English word betacan which means to commit or entrust oneself to or to resort to. It is a combination of the prefix be- (meaning thoroughly or around) and the verb tacan (meaning to take or to seize). Over time, betacan evolved into betook, which eventually led to the phrase betook oneself.