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purchase definition

pur·chase (pʉr′c̸həs)

transitive verb purchased -·chased, purchasing -·chas·ing

  1. to obtain for money or by paying a price; buy
  2. to obtain at a cost, as of suffering or sacrifice
  3. to move or raise by means of a mechanical device
  4. Law to acquire (land, buildings, etc.) by means other than inheritance or descent

Etymology: ME purchacen < OFr pourchacier, to pursue < pour, for (< L pro: see pro) + chacier, to chase

noun

  1. anything obtained by buying
  2. the act of buying
  3. Now Rare income; return
    1. a firm hold applied to move something mechanically or to keep from slipping
    2. any apparatus for applying such a hold
    3. Naut. tackle ()
  5. Law the acquisition of land, buildings, etc. by means other than inheritance or descent

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

business purchase definition - business

law purchase definition - legal

purchase Synonyms

purchase

n.

  1. The act of buying

    acquirement, procurement, getting, obtaining, shopping, installment plan, bargaining, marketing, investing; see also acquisition 1, buying.

  2. Something bought

    property, possession, gain, booty, acquirement, investment; see also acquisition 2, bargain 2.


purchase

v.

obtain, acquire, buy up; see buy 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

purchase Usage Examples

Object

  • ticket: In either instance we will not be liable for any additional costs incurred in having to purchase new tickets at a higher fare.

Converse of object

  • negotiate: This included changes to the navigation and putting in a discussion facility so that dealers could negotiate purchases directly with the manufacturer.

Adjective modifier

  • compulsory: Compulsory purchase order Several Acts grant powers for the compulsory purchase of land by local authorities, central government or government agencies.

Modifies a noun

  • ledger: You role will also include maintaining the petty cash system, cash book and sales and purchase ledgers.

Noun used with modifier

  • hire: It is wise to check its finance history, specifically for any outstanding hire purchase.

Adjective complement

  • insuranceprevious: To support that not purchase insuranceprevious nearly percent of.

Preposition: of

  • freehold: A - The purchase of a freehold or leasehold is almost certainly out of the question.
purchase usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

purchase quotes

  Yet I glory More in the cunning purchase of my wealth Than in the glad possession.

-Jonson, Ben

The word, it is to be observed, has two different meanings, and sometimes the utility of some particular object, and sometimes the power of purchasing other goods which the possession of that object conveys. This one may be called 'value in use'; the other,'value in exchange'. The things which have the greatest value in usehave frequently little or novalue in exchange; and on the contrary, those which have the greatest value in exchange have frequently little or no value in use. Nothing is more useful than water: but it will purchase scarce any thing; scarce any thing can be had in exchange for it. A diamond, on the contrary, has scarce any value in use; but a very great quantity of other goods may frequently be had in exchange for it.

-Smith, Adam

purchase quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"purchase." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/purchase>

APA Style

purchase. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/purchase

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