ˈpə:tʃəs v. & n. --v.tr. 1
acquire by
payment;
buy. 2
obtain or
achieve at
some cost. 3 Naut.
haul up (an
anchor etc.) by
means of a
pulley,
lever, etc. --n. 1
the act or an
instance of buying. 2
something bought. 3
Law the
acquisition of
property by one's
personal action and not by
inheritance. 4 a a firm hold on a
thing to
move it or to
prevent it
from slipping;
leverage. b a
device or
tackle for moving heavy objects. 5 the
annual rent or
return from
land. øpurchase
tax Brit.
hist. a tax on goods bought, levied at higher rates for
non-essential or
luxury goods. øøpurchasable adj. purchaser n. [ME f. AF purchacer, OF pourchacier
seek to obtain (as
PUR-, CHASE(1))]