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obtain

 - 3 dictionary results

ob·tain

   [uhb-teyn]
–verb (used with object)
1.
to come into possession of; get, acquire, or procure, as through an effort or by a request: to obtain permission; to obtain a better income.
2.
Obsolete. to attain or reach.
–verb (used without object)
3.
to be prevalent, customary, or in vogue; prevail: the morals that obtained in Rome.
4.
Archaic. to succeed.
Use obtain in a Sentence
Origin:
1375–1425; late ME obteinen < MF obtenir < L obtinēre to take hold of, equiv. to ob- ob- + -tinēre (comb. form of tenēre to hold)

—Related forms
ob·tain·a·ble, adjective
ob·tain·a·bil·i·ty, noun
ob·tain·er, noun
ob·tain·ment, noun
pre·ob·tain, verb (used with object)
pre·ob·tain·a·ble, adjective
re·ob·tain, verb (used with object)
re·ob·tain·a·ble, adjective
un·ob·tain·a·ble, adjective
un·ob·tained, adjective

—Synonyms
1. gain, achieve, earn, win, attain. See get.

—Antonyms
1. lose, forgo.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To obtain
World English Dictionary
obtain (əbˈteɪn) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—vb
1.  (tr) to gain possession of; acquire; get
2.  (intr) to be customary, valid, or accepted: a new law obtains in this case
3.  archaic (tr) to arrive at
4.  archaic (intr) to win a victory; succeed
 
[C15: via Old French from Latin obtinēre to take hold of, from ob- (intensive) + tenēre to hold]
 
ob'tainable
 
—adj
 
obtaina'bility
 
—n
 
ob'tainer
 
—n
 
ob'tainment
 
—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Word Origin & History

obtain
c.1425, from M.Fr. obtenir (14c.), from L. obtinere "hold, take hold of, acquire," from ob "to" (though perhaps intensive in this case) + tenere "to hold" (see tenet).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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