Attain

• POS: Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: at=tain

CIDE DICTIONARY

Attain, v. t. [Of. atteinen, atteignen, atainen, OF. ateindre, ataindre, F. atteindre, fr. L. attingere; ad + tangere to touch, reach. See Tangent, and cf. Attinge, Attaint.].

•  To achieve or accomplish, that is, to reach by efforts; to gain; to compass; as, to attain rest.  [1913 Webster]

  "Is he wise who hopes to attain the end without the means?"  [1913 Webster]
•  To gain or obtain possession of; to acquire.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
•  To get at the knowledge of; to ascertain.  [1913 Webster]

  "Not well attaining his meaning."  [1913 Webster]
•  To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]
•  To overtake.  Bacon.  [1913 Webster]
•  To reach in excellence or degree; to equal.  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To Attain, Obtain, Procure.

Attain, v. i. 

•  To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.; to reach.  [1913 Webster]

  "If by any means they might attain to Phenice."  [1913 Webster]

  "Nor nearer might the dogs attain."  [1913 Webster]

  "To see your trees attain to the dignity of timber."  [1913 Webster]

  "Few boroughs had as yet attained to power such as this."  [1913 Webster]
•  To come or arrive, by an effort of mind.  [1913 Webster]

  "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I can not attain unto it."  [1913 Webster]

Attain, n. 

 Attainment.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Attain, v.
1 tr. arrive at; reach (a goal etc.).
2 tr. gain, accomplish (an aim, distinction, etc.).
3 intr. (foll. by to) arrive at by conscious development or effort.

Derivative

attainable adj. attainability n. attainableness n.

Etymology

ME f. AF atain-, atein-, OF ataign- stem of ataindre f. L attingere (as AD-, tangere touch)

THESAURUS

Attain

accede, accomplish, achieve, approach, arrive, arrive at, arrive in, attain to, be instated, be received, blow in, bob up, check in, clock in, come, come in, come to, come to hand, compass, consummate, deal with, discharge, dispatch, dispose of, do, do the job, do the trick, effect, effectuate, enact, execute, fetch, fetch up at, find, fulfill, gain, get in, get there, get to, hit, hit town, knock off, make, make good, make it, manage, mount the throne, perform, polish off, pop up, produce, pull in, punch in, put away, reach, realize, ring in, roll in, score, show up, sign in, succeed, take care of, take office, time in, turn the trick, turn up, win, work, work out

ROGET THESAURUS

Attain

Arrival

VB arrive, get to, come to, come, reach, attain, come up with, come up to, overtake, make, fetch, complete, join, rejoin, light, alight, dismount, land, go ashore, debark, disembark, put in, put into, visit, cast anchor, pitch one's tent, sit down, get to one's journey's end, make the land, be in at the death, come back, get back, come home, get home, return, come in, make one's appearance, drop in, detrain, deplane, outspan, de-orbit, come to hand, come at, come across, hit, come upon, light upon, pop upon, bounce upon, plump upon, burst upon, pitch upon, meet, encounter, rencounter, come in contact.