Yes, flaps are routinely partially deployed for normal takeoffs. On the 747, there are leading edge flaps in addition to the "normal" trailing edge flaps.
On the leading edge, they're called "slats" [1]. Most passenger jets have them, and they're rather important for take-off: The first fatal 747 crash, a Lufthansa machine departing Nairobi, came down because the slats were not deployed [2].
