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Acquire Very Common

Acquire has 8 different meanings across 1 category:

Verb

Definitions
Verb
1

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

"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"

2

take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect

"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"

3

come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes)

"He grew a beard"

"The patient developed abdominal pains"

"I got funny spots all over my body"

"Well-developed breasts"

4

locate (a moving entity) by means of a tracking system such as radar

"The radar system successfully acquired the incoming aircraft moments before it entered controlled airspace."

5

win something through one's efforts

"I acquired a passing knowledge of Chinese"

"Gain an understanding of international finance"

"win someone's confidence and friendship"

6

gain knowledge or skills

"She learned dancing from her sister"

"I learned Sanskrit"

"Children acquire language at an amazing rate"

7

gain through experience

"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"

8

To get.

"She managed to acquire a new skill by practicing every day."

Example Sentences
"She got a lot of paintings from her uncle" verb
"They acquired a new pet" verb
"Get your results the next day" verb
"Get permission to take a few days off from work" verb
"His voice took on a sad tone" verb
"The story took a new turn" verb
"he adopted an air of superiority" verb
"She assumed strange manners" verb
"The gods assume human or animal form in these fables" verb
"He grew a beard" verb
See Also
get acquirer gain steal reacquire learn acculturation acquisitive
Related Terms
Antonyms
lose
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
change situate get
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
isolate win back press out capture come by buy lease receive turn find glom enter upon line up accept obtain recover catch reclaim acquire gain earn profit partake preempt collect inherit borrow pick up get poll re-assume fledge regrow spring sprout stool leaf pod teethe pupate work up cut cozen relearn catch up absorb study

Origin

The word acquire comes from the Latin verb acquirō, which combines a prefix meaning "toward" with a root that means "to seek." It entered English through Middle French and Old French, originally describing the act of seeking something out before it came to mean obtaining or gaining possession.

Rhyming Words
ire aire sire lire dire gire cire pire mire tire vire eire wire hire fire geire noire swire twire adire
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