buy
/bʌɪ
/verb (buys, buying; past and past participle bought /bɔːt/) [with object]
1Obtain in exchange for payment: she bought six first-class stamps he had been able to buy up hundreds of acres [with two objects]: he bought me a new frock [no object]: homeowners who buy into housing developments...
- In order to buy the house some money that my Grandfather had stashed away for myself and my brothers was used as part of the deposit.
- There was talk of marriage and of pooling their money to buy an even grander house.
- Several institutional investors are also still buying into the sector and see property as a safer bet to match long-term annuity liabilities.
Synonyms
purchase, make a/the purchase of, acquire, obtain, get, pick up, snap up;
take, secure, procure, come by, pay for, shop for;
invest in, put money into
informal get hold of, get one's hands on, lay one's hands on, get one's mitts on, score
1.1 (buy someone out) Pay someone to give up an ownership, interest, or share: when their affair ended, she bought him out...
- Several of the clubs had been approached by developers interested in buying them out - one steward describing them as ‘circling sharks’.
- Alternatively, they may be happy to buy the house with you on the understanding that you will buy them out of their share later when you can afford it or that they get a share of any growth in value when you sell up.
- The same people who complain of our speed in spreading salvation and saving men would all want to buy shares, become our partners or buy us out.
1.2 (buy oneself out) Obtain one’s release from the armed services by payment.There are signs that it is already too late, with more than 5,370 infantry soldiers buying themselves out of the army in the past three years rather than be posted back abroad....
- I bought myself out of the army and came here 23 years ago and have loved every minute of it.
- He bought himself out to please his wife, a childhood sweetheart who hated the idea of being a service wife.
1.3 (buy something in) Withdraw something at auction because it fails to meet the reserve price.
1.4Procure the loyalty and support of (someone) by bribery: here was a man who could not be bought I’ll buy off the investigators...
- Labour politicians who accept hospitality and sponsorship insist they can't be bought.
- Some will argue this means that he can't be bought by lobbyists.
- He says his money shows that he can't be bought.
Synonyms
bribe, buy off, pay off, suborn, give an inducement to, corrupt
informal grease someone's palm, give someone a backhander, give someone a sweetener, keep someone sweet, get at, fix, square
British informal nobble
1.5 [often with negative] Be a means of obtaining (something) through exchange or payment: money can’t buy happiness...
- The money buys loyalty as well as the basic necessities.
- At the risk of sounding cliché-ish: Money can't buy loyalty, or love or affection.
- It has been known for centuries that money does not buy happiness.
1.6Get by sacrifice or great effort: greatness is dearly bought...
- He knew that every good thing in this world, and in the next, was bought with blood and sacrifice.
- But the support of the other members of the world community will be more dearly bought.
- He surrendered in October, but it was a prize too dearly bought.
1.7 [no object] Be a buyer for a store or firm.‘I used to be a much snootier reader," she admits, " but I'm buying for a lot of different stores and a lot of different readers, so I have to be far more egalitarian.’...
- Now that he buys for them he doesn't go overseas but he still works ridiculously long hours.
- In her present position, she buys for the museum shop and marks inventory.
2 informal Accept the truth of: I am not prepared to buy the claim that the ends justify the means [no object]: I hate to buy into stereotypes...
- We accept the premise that parents must be convinced to buy into any reform agenda.
- To tell you the truth, I bought into that as well - and boy were we wrong.
- He had to make things up on the spot of course and fortunately, the teacher had bought it.
noun informal
1A purchase: wine is rarely a good buy in duty-free shops...
- Investors looking for profitable buys are also among the first potential buyers, as well as people living in other parts of Bradford.
- Save your trades and bargain buys for starting pitchers and position players.
- British bargain buys are too few and far between.
Synonyms
purchase, deal, bargain, investment, acquisition, addition, gain, asset, possession, holding
1.1An act of purchasing something: a drug buy...
- And he did not keep detailed records of his alleged drug buys.
- Hearings last month revealed he often wrote notes about his alleged drug buys on his legs.
- She described going to a drug buy in a pub to get more stuff.
Phrases
buy the farm
buy it
buy time
Origin
Old English bycgan, of Germanic origin.