Obtain

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

CIDE DICTIONARY

Obtain, v. t. [F. obtenir, L. obtinere; ob (see Ob-) + tenere to hold. See Tenable.].

•  To hold; to keep; to possess.  [1913 Webster]

  "His mother, then, is mortal, but his Sire
  He who obtains the monarchy of heaven."  [1913 Webster]
•  To get hold of by effort; to gain possession of; to procure; to acquire, in any way.  [1913 Webster]

  "Some pray for riches; riches they obtain."  [1913 Webster]

  "By guileful fair words peace may be obtained."  [1913 Webster]

  "It may be that I may obtain children by her."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To attain; gain; procure; acquire; win; earn.

Obtain, v. i. 

•  To gain or have a firm footing; to be recognized or established; to become prevalent or general; to prevail; as, the custom obtains of going to the seashore in summer.  [1913 Webster]

  "Sobriety hath by use obtained to signify temperance in drinking."  [1913 Webster]

  "The Theodosian code, several hundred years after Justinian's time, did obtain in the western parts of Europe."  [1913 Webster]
•  To prevail; to succeed.  Evelyn.  [1913 Webster]

  "So run that ye may obtain."  [1913 Webster]

  "There is due from the judge to the advocate, some commendation, where causes are fair pleaded; especially towards the side which obtaineth not."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Obtain, v.
1 tr. acquire, secure; have granted to one.
2 intr. be prevalent or established or in vogue.

Derivative

obtainable adj. obtainability n. obtainer n. obtainment n. obtention n.

Etymology

ME f. OF obtenir f. L obtinere obtent- keep (as OB-, tenere hold)

THESAURUS

Obtain

accept, acquire, admit, annex, apply, arouse, assume, bag, be, be extant, be found, be in, be in existence, be in force, be met with, be present, be seized of, be the case, be the rage, be the rule, be the thing, be there, breathe, bring, bring back, bring forth, bring on, bring out, bring to light, buy, call for, call forth, call out, call up, capture, catch, chalk up, chase after, come by, come in for, come into, contract, contrive, corral, deduce, derive, derive from, dominate, drag down, drag out, draw, draw down, draw forth, draw from, draw on, draw out, earn, educe, effect, elicit, enter into possession, evoke, exist, fetch, fetch and carry, gain, get, get from, get out of, go after, go and get, go fetch, go for, go get, go to get, grasp, happen to be, harvest, have, have being, have coming in, have place, hold, induce, inspire, instigate, lead, live, make, motivate, net, occur, pick up, predominate, prevail, procure, provoke, pull down, purchase, reap, receive, reign, relate, retrieve, rouse, rule, run after, sack, score, secure, seize, shag, stand, stimulate, subsist, summon forth, summon up, superinduce, take, take in, take on, take over, take possession of, wangle, wangle out of, win, winkle out, worm out, worm out of

ROGET THESAURUS

Obtain

Existence

VB exist, be, have being, subsist, live, breathe, stand, obtain, be the case, occur, have place, prevail, find oneself, pass the time, vegetate, consist in, lie in, be comprised in, be contained in, be constituted by, come into existence, arise, come forth, become, bring into existence, abide, continue, endure, last, remain, stay.

Acquisition

VB acquire, get, gain, win, earn, obtain, procure, gather, collect, pick, pickup, glean, find, come upon, pitch upon, light upon, scrape up, scrape together, get in, reap and carry, net, bag, sack, bring home, secure, derive, draw, get in the harvest, profit, make profit, draw profit, turn a quick profit, turn to profit, turn to account, make capital out of, make money by, obtain a return, reap the fruits of, reap an advantage, gain an advantage, turn a penny, turn an honest penny, make the pot boil, bring grist to the mill, make money, coin money, raise money, raise funds, raise the wind, fill one's pocket, treasure up, realize, clear, produce, take, get back, recover, regain, retrieve, revendicate, replevy, redeem, come by one's own, come by, come in for, receive, inherit, step into a fortune, step into the shoes of, succeed to, get hold of, get between one's finger and thumb, get into one's hand, get at, take possession, come into possession, enter into possession, be profitable, pay, answer, accrue.