Dictionary entry details
• ACQUIRE (verb)
Meaning:
Come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
get; acquire
Context examples:
She got a lot of paintings from her uncle / They acquired a new pet / Get your results the next day / Get permission to take a few days off from work
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "acquire"):
benefit; gain; profit (derive a benefit from)
earn; garner (acquire or deserve by one's efforts or actions)
bring in; clear; earn; gain; make; pull in; realise; realize; take in (earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages)
acquire; gain; win (win something through one's efforts)
find; regain (come upon after searching; find the location of something that was missed or lost)
reclaim; repossess (claim back)
recoup; recover; recuperate (regain or make up for)
partake; partake in; share (have, give, or receive a share of)
preempt (acquire for oneself before others can do so)
preempt (gain possession of by prior right or opportunity, especially so as to obtain the right to buy (land))
call for; collect; gather up; pick up (gather or collect)
come into; inherit (obtain from someone after their death)
borrow (get temporarily)
pick up (get in addition, as an increase)
get (acquire as a result of some effort or action)
poll (get the votes of)
catch (get or regain something necessary, usually quickly or briefly)
find; recover; regain; retrieve (get or find back; recover the use of)
isolate (obtain in pure form)
get back; win back (recover something or somebody that appeared to be lost)
express; extract; press out (obtain from a substance, as by mechanical action)
capture; catch (capture as if by hunting, snaring, or trapping)
come by (obtain, especially accidentally)
buy; purchase (obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction)
charter; engage; hire; lease; rent; take (engage for service under a term of contract)
have; receive (get something; come into possession of)
turn (get by buying and selling)
buy (acquire by trade or sacrifice or exchange)
find (obtain through effort or management)
glom (seize upon or latch onto something)
come upon; enter upon; luck into (take possession of)
come up; find; get hold; line up (get something or somebody for a specific purpose)
accept; have; take (receive willingly something given or offered)
obtain (come into possession of)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s something from somebody
Sentence example:
The children acquire the ball
Meaning:
Take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
take on; acquire; assume; adopt; take
Context examples:
His voice took on a sad tone / The story took a new turn / he adopted an air of superiority / She assumed strange manners / The gods assume human or animal form in these fables
Hypernyms (to "acquire" is one way to...):
change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "acquire"):
re-assume (take on again, as after a time lapse)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes)
Classified under:
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care
Synonyms:
acquire; develop; produce; grow; get
Context examples:
He grew a beard / The patient developed abdominal pains / I got funny spots all over my body / Well-developed breasts
Hypernyms (to "acquire" is one way to...):
change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "acquire"):
feather; fledge (grow feathers)
cut (have grow through the gums)
get up; work up (develop)
pupate (develop into a pupa)
teethe (grow teeth; cut the baby teeth)
pod (produce pods, of plants)
leaf (produce leaves, of plants)
stool; tiller (grow shoots in the form of stools or tillers)
sprout; stock (put forth and grow sprouts or shoots)
spring (develop suddenly)
regrow (grow anew or continue growth after an injury or interruption)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Locate (a moving entity) by means of a tracking system such as radar
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Hypernyms (to "acquire" is one way to...):
locate; situate (determine or indicate the place, site, or limits of, as if by an instrument or by a survey)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Win something through one's efforts
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
gain; win; acquire
Context examples:
I acquired a passing knowledge of Chinese / Gain an understanding of international finance
Hypernyms (to "acquire" is one way to...):
acquire; get (come into the possession of something concrete or abstract)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "acquire"):
cozen (cheat or trick)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something from somebody
Meaning:
Gain knowledge or skills
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Synonyms:
larn; learn; acquire
Context examples:
She learned dancing from her sister / I learned Sanskrit / Children acquire language at an amazing rate
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "acquire"):
hit the books; study (learn by reading books)
absorb; assimilate; ingest; take in (take up mentally)
catch up (learn belatedly; find out about something after it happened)
relearn (learn something again, as after having forgotten or neglected it)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Meaning:
Gain through experience
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
evolve; develop; acquire
Context examples:
I acquired a strong aversion to television / Children must develop a sense of right and wrong / Dave developed leadership qualities in his new position / develop a passion for painting
Hypernyms (to "acquire" is one way to...):
change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
