expression, godan verb (-ru)
find a new master; choose a new lord
Archaic expression referring to a samurai or retainer seeking a new feudal lord to serve. Not used in modern Japanese outside historical or literary contexts.
戦国時代には、浪人が新たに主を取ることは珍しくなかった。
In the Warring States period, it was not uncommon for masterless samurai to find a new lord.
Standard kanji spelling for this archaic expression.
仕える is the modern verb for 'to serve' a master or employer, while 主を取る is an archaic set phrase specifically about choosing a new feudal lord.
The phrase combines 主 (しゅ, 'master' or 'lord') with 取る (とる, 'to take'), literally 'to take a master'. Its historical derivation is straightforward, but the exact period of coinage is uncertain.