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.

Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English obteinen < Middle French obtenir < Latin obtinēre to take hold of, equivalent to ob- ob- + -tinēre (combining form of tenēre to hold)

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


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


1. lose, forgo.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To obtainable
00:10
Obtainable is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
Collins
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

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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Etymonline
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
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Fitting first year engineering into high school could be an obtainable set of
  references.
The family lived on food they had stored and sparse supplies obtainable with
  ration cards.
He believed that perfection was obtainable, and would not tolerate mistakes.
Either way, the information obtainable by either approach is seriously limited:
  it requires dialogue.
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