26984 words

acquire

10 definitions • 28 examples
1
to get or obtain something:

Examples:

From humble beginnings he went on to acquire great wealth.
recently acquired The museum will put the recently acquired Picasso on display this spring.
seem to have acquired I seem to have acquired (= have got although I don't know how) two copies of this book.
2
to buy a business or property, or buy shares in a business:

Examples:

He acquired the firm in 2008.
In 1949 the property was acquired by United Steel Companies.
The airline will acquire a 49 percent share of its rival.
It took several years to find and acquire the land needed for the project.
3
to buy or obtain the right to sell or publish something, for example the right to publish a particular work or the works of a particular writer:

Examples:

He acquired Winnie the Pooh merchandising rights from A. A. Milne, the author of the children's stories.
The book was acquired by Sarah McGill, an editor at Riverdale Books.
Warner Bros. acquired the rights to the movie in North America.
4
to gradually learn or gain something such as a language or skill:

Examples:

We want to understand more about how children acquire language.
The purpose of university is to acquire knowledge and critical thinking skills.
acquire a habit With practice, students can acquire better study habits.
acquire a reputation He has acquired a reputation for being difficult to work with.
acquire a taste for I soon acquired a taste for the local cuisine.
5
to develop a medical condition or catch a disease that you were not born with:

Examples:

They estimate that millions of patients every year acquire infections while in hospital.
6
to obtain or begin to have something:

Examples:

His family acquired the property in 1985.
She acquired her love of the outdoors as a child.
7
to buy or take control of a company or part of a company, often by buying shares in it:

Examples:

They acquired a chain of about 20 phone shops.
acquire control/ownership of sth He had just acquired control of the New York Times.
be acquired by sb/sth Mutual of New York was later acquired by French insurance conglomerate AXA.
8
to get the legal right to use or do something:

Examples:

acquire rights to sth The broadcaster did not disclose exactly how it acquired rights to the material.
9
to get something that is important to your business:

Examples:

We've acquired a million new customers in a year.
It's a good time to acquire new talent.
10
to get something that is important to you in your job:

Examples:

Aptitude tests attempt to judge a person's ability to acquire new skills.

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