purchase

American  

[pur-chuhs] / ˈpɜr tʃəs /

verb (used with object)

purchased, purchasing

1. to acquire by the payment of money or its equivalent; buy.

   Synonyms:

   procure, obtain, get

   Antonyms:

   sell

2. to acquire by effort, sacrifice, flattery, etc.

3. to influence by a bribe.

4. to be sufficient to buy.

   Twenty dollars purchases a subscription.

5. Law. to acquire (land or other property) by means other than inheritance.

6. to move, haul, or raise, especially by applying mechanical power.

7. to get a leverage on; apply a lever, pulley, or other aid to.

8. Obsolete. to procure, acquire, or obtain.

---

verb (used without object)

purchased, purchasing

1. to buy something.

noun

1. acquisition by the payment of money or its equivalent; buying, or a single act of buying.

2. something that is purchased or bought.

3. something purchased, with respect to value in relation to price; buy.

   At three for a dollar they seemed like a good purchase.

4. Law. the acquisition of land or other property by means other than inheritance.

5. acquisition by means of effort, labor, etc..

   the purchase of comfort at the price of freedom.

6. a lever, pulley, or other device that provides mechanical advantage or power for moving or raising a heavy object.

   Synonyms:

   capstan, winch

7. an effective hold or position for applying power in moving or raising a heavy object; leverage.

8. any means of applying or increasing power, influence, etc.

9. the annual return or rent from land.

10. a firm grip or grasp, footing, etc., on something.

11. Obsolete. booty.

purchase British  

/ ˈpɜːtʃɪs /

verb

1. to obtain (goods, etc) by payment

2. to obtain by effort, sacrifice, etc

   to purchase one's freedom

3. to draw, haul, or lift (a load) with the aid of mechanical apparatus

4. to acquire (an estate) other than by inheritance

---

noun

1. something that is purchased, esp an article bought with money

2. the act of buying

3. acquisition of an estate by any lawful means other than inheritance

4. a rough measure of the mechanical advantage achieved by a lever

5. a firm foothold, grasp, etc, as for climbing or levering something

6. a means of achieving some influence, advantage, etc

Related Words

See buy.

Other Word Forms

• mispurchase verb (used with object)
• nonpurchase noun
• nonpurchaser noun
• overpurchase verb (used with object)
• prepurchase noun
• prepurchaser noun
• purchaser noun
• quasi-purchased adjective
• unpurchased adjective

Etymology

Origin of purchase

First recorded before 1150; (for the verb) Middle English purchasen, from Anglo-French purchacer “to seek to obtain, procure,” from pur- (from Latin prō pro ¹ ) + chacer “to chase” ( chase ¹ ); noun derivative of the verb

Example Sentences

Long said her credit union’s data shows this was a “Costco Christmas,” with middle-class families shifting their purchases to warehouse stores and value retailers.

From MarketWatch

The data tallies with a mildly improved outlook of private-sector employment from S&P Global’s purchasing manufacturers’ eurozone survey, published earlier this week.

From The Wall Street Journal

Hanwha is also seriously considering a purchase of a second U.S. shipyard in another region within the next several years, Coulter said: “We think there’s a unique time in history right now.”

From The Wall Street Journal

In Altadena, 27 of the 61 lots that sold in July, August and September of last year were purchased by investors, or 44%.

From Los Angeles Times

Gold and silver are doing well amid rising geopolitical tensions and concerns about a loss of purchasing power in the U.S. dollar and other currencies.

From Barron's

Related Words

• acquire
• earn
• invest
• pick up
• procure
• redeem
• shop
• take