Acquire
to come into possession or ownership of; get as one’s own:
to acquire property.
to gain for oneself through one’s actions or efforts:
to acquire learning.
Linguistics. to achieve native or nativelike command of (a language or a linguistic rule or element).
Military. to locate and track (a moving target) with a detector, as radar.
Contemporary Examples
“We have been and will continue to work to acquire the drugs in accordance with the law,” McNaughton said via email.
Pennsylvania’s Lethal Injection Fiasco Christopher Moraff September 17, 2014
It quickly became clear that in order to get organized The Martha Way, I was going to have to acquire a few key items.
Univ. of Martha Doree Shafrir August 2, 2009
A year later, Comcast took a big swing, offering to acquire Disney for $53 billion.
Will Stars Align for Comcast and NBC? Kim Masters September 30, 2009
Maybe this is because they don’t realize how cheaply they can acquire bare-bones coverage.
Are Young, Single Adults Expecting Obamacare to Cost So Much? Megan McArdle June 3, 2013
Six years ago, a group of private-equity funds outbid Time Warner to acquire Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for more than $5 billion.
Why No One Wants Miramax Peter Lauria April 5, 2010
Historical Examples
And he told her how he had come to acquire the brass bottle.
The Brass Bottle F. Anstey
If a chap’s not born with the gift he’s an ass to think he can acquire it.
The Spenders Harry Leon Wilson
To acquire creditors is not at the disposure of each man’s arbitrament.
Gargantua and Pantagruel, Complete. Francois Rabelais
I have no idea that he will ever acquire the reputation of a great statesman.
The Grand Old Man Richard B. Cook
Galleries and private collectors have acquired what little of his work was left to acquire.
The Life of James McNeill Whistler Elizabeth Robins Pennell
verb
(transitive) to get or gain (something, such as an object, trait, or ability), esp more or less permanently
v.
mid-15c., acqueren, from Old French aquerre “acquire, gain, earn, procure,” from Vulgar Latin *acquaerere, from Latin acquirere “to seek in addition to” (see acquisition). Reborrowed in current form from Latin c.1600. Related: Acquired; acquiring.
Read Also:
- Acquirable
to come into possession or ownership of; get as one’s own: to acquire property. to gain for oneself through one’s actions or efforts: to acquire learning. Linguistics. to achieve native or nativelike command of (a language or a linguistic rule or element). Military. to locate and track (a moving target) with a detector, as radar. […]
- Acquired antibody
acquired antibody acquired antibody n. An antibody produced by an immune response, in contrast to one occurring naturally in an individual.
- Acquired
to come into possession or ownership of; get as one’s own: to acquire property. to gain for oneself through one’s actions or efforts: to acquire learning. Linguistics. to achieve native or nativelike command of (a language or a linguistic rule or element). Military. to locate and track (a moving target) with a detector, as radar. […]
- Acquired behaviour
noun (psychol) the behaviour of an organism resulting from the effects of the environment
- Acquired character
a noninheritable character that results from certain environmental influences. Historical Examples The writer is not aware that there is at present on record a single adequate proof of the heredity of an acquired character. The Organism as a Whole Jacques Loeb Music, like language, is also an acquired character, and it is probably not transmitted. […]