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   Pur·chase

   /ˈpərCHəs/

   

   verb

   • 1. acquire (something) by paying for it; buy: "Mr. Gill spotted the manuscript at a local auction and purchased it for $1,500"
   • ▪ obtain or achieve with effort or suffering: archaic "the victory was purchased by the death of Rhiwallon"
   • 2. haul in (a rope or cable) or haul up (an anchor) by means of a pulley, lever, etc.

   noun

   • 1. the action of buying something: "the large number of videos currently available for purchase"
   • ▪ a thing that has been bought: "she stowed her purchases in the car"
   • ▪ the acquisition of property by means other than inheritance. Similar acquisitioninvestmentbuyorderdealbargainpropertyassetpossessionholdingshoppinggoodsOpposite sale
   • ▪ the annual rent or return from land: archaic "a lease valued at seven year's purchase"
   • 2. a hold or position on something for applying power advantageously, or the advantage gained by such application: "the horse's hooves fought for purchase on the slippery pavement" Similar gripfirm contactattachmentholdfootholdfootingtoeholdfingerholdanchoragesupportgraspresistancefrictionleverageadvantage
   • ▪ a block and tackle.

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French pourchacier ‘seek to obtain or bring about’, the earliest sense also in English, which soon gave rise to the senses ‘gain’ (hence, in nautical use, the notion of ‘gaining’ one portion of rope after another) and ‘buy’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. purchasable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 15

   • P

     3

   • U

     1

   • R

     1

   • C

     3

   • H

     4

   • A

     1

   • S

     1

   • E

     1

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