Buy

to acquire the possession of, or the right to, by paying or promising to pay an equivalent, especially in money; purchase.
to acquire by exchange or concession:
to buy favor with flattery.
to hire or obtain the services of:
The Yankees bought a new center fielder.
to bribe:
Most public officials cannot be bought.
to be the monetary or purchasing equivalent of:
Ten dollars buys less than it used to.
Chiefly Theology. to redeem; ransom.
Cards. to draw or be dealt (a card):
He bought an ace.
Informal.

to accept or believe:
I don’t buy that explanation.
to be deceived by:
He bought the whole story.

to be or become a purchaser.
an act or instance of buying.
something bought or to be bought; purchase:
That coat was a sensible buy.
a bargain:
The couch was a real buy.
buy down, to lower or reduce (the mortgage interest rate) by means of a buy-down.
buy in,

to buy a supply of; accumulate a stock of.
to buy back one’s own possession at an auction.
to undertake a buy-in.

Also, buy into.
buy into, to purchase a share, interest, or membership in:
They tried to buy into the club but were not accepted.
buy off, to get rid of (a claim, opposition, etc.) by payment; purchase the noninterference of; bribe:
The corrupt official bought off those who might expose him.
buy out, to secure all of (an owner or partner’s) share or interest in an enterprise:
She bought out an established pharmacist and is doing very well.
buy up, to buy as much as one can of something or as much as is offered for sale:
He bought up the last of the strawberries at the fruit market.
buy it, Slang. to get killed:
He bought it at Dunkirk.
Contemporary Examples

Billy Ray Defends Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé and Jay-Z Are Very Rich Culture Team September 19, 2013
Fashion’s ‘It’ Girls Get Younger Isabel Wilkinson February 3, 2011
What Can We Do About North Korea? David Frum April 4, 2013
My Grandfather’s War: Recovering the Art the Nazis Stole Anne Sinclair October 4, 2014
Aces High: Where to Buy Affordable Art Justin Jones February 14, 2014

Historical Examples

Cy Whittaker’s Place Joseph C. Lincoln
Ancient Man Hendrik Willem van Loon
The Rise of Roscoe Paine Joseph C. Lincoln
Brave and Bold Horatio Alger
Mary Ware’s Promised Land Annie Fellows Johnston

verb (mainly transitive) buys, buying, bought
to acquire by paying or promising to pay a sum of money or the equivalent; purchase
to be capable of purchasing: money can’t buy love
to acquire by any exchange or sacrifice: to buy time by equivocation
(intransitive) to act as a buyer
to bribe or corrupt; hire by or as by bribery
(slang) to accept as true, practical, etc
(intransitive) foll by into. to purchase shares of (a company): we bought into General Motors
(transitive) (theol) (esp of Christ) to ransom or redeem (a Christian or the soul of a Christian)
(slang) have bought it, to be killed
noun
a purchase (often in the phrases good or bad buy)
v.
n.

To believe; accept as true: These guys bought the myth and now it’s costing them dearly/ I buy it. What you told me is between us
To agree to; acquiesce in: If that’s the plan, I’ll buy it (1920s+)
To do; effectuate: She pointed her gun at me. I said, ”What are you trying to buy with that?” (1940s+)
To hire; engage: He bought him a lawyer and filed suit (1650s+)
(also buy off) To induce by money; bribe: He tried to buy a couple of jury members (1650s+)