Purchase Definition & Meaning

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    • Synonyms 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

    "Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

    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

    "Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

    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

    Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

    Turkey hasn’t backed Western sanctions on Moscow, meaning purchases of Russian energy don’t violate Turkish law.

    From The Wall Street Journal

    Die-hard K-pop fans will often purchase multiple “variants” of a release, each with different artwork or bonus songs.

    From The Wall Street Journal

    “That’s putting more and more behind the credence that precious metals is a wonderful way to protect purchasing power,” she added.

    From Barron's

    Those companies purchase the LNG that Venture Global produces under long-term contracts, to sell to end users like power companies overseas.

    From Barron's

    Among other things, money was allegedly used to purchase artworks and fund the Hollywood film “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

    From The Wall Street Journal

    Related Words

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

    Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

    Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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