buy

[[t]baɪ[/t]]

v. bought, buy•ing, n.

1) to acquire the possession of, esp. by paying an equivalent in money; purchase

2) to acquire by exchange or concession:

to buy favor with flattery[/ex]

3) to hire or obtain the services of

4) to bribe

5) to be the purchasing equivalent of:

A dollar doesn't buy much these days[/ex]

6) Theol. to redeem; ransom

7) inf Informal.

to accept or believe:

I don't buy that explanation[/ex]

8) to be or become a purchaser

9) bus phv buy into, to purchase a share, interest, or membership in

10) phv buy off, to get rid of (a claim, opposition, etc.) by payment; bribe

11) phv bus buy out, to purchase all the business shares belonging to (another)

12) phv buy up, to buy as much of (something) as is available

13) an act or instance of buying

14) something bought; a purchase

15) a bargain:

The couch was a real buy[/ex]

•

- buy it

Etymology: bef. 1000; ME byen, var. of byggen, buggen, OE bycgan