• enPR: bī, IPA: /baɪ/

buy (buys, present participle buying; past bought, past participle bought)

1. (transitive) To obtain (something) in exchange for money or goods

   I'm going to buy my father something nice for his birthday.

   • Buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou wilt sell thy necessaries.

2. (transitive) To obtain by some sacrifice.

   I've bought material comfort by foregoing my dreams.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Proverbs 23:23 ↗:

     Buy the truth and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

3. (transitive) To bribe.

   He tried to buy me with gifts, but I wouldn't give up my beliefs.

4. (transitive) To be equivalent to in value.

   The dollar doesn't buy as much as it used to.

5. (transitive, informal) to accept as true; to believe

   I'm not going to buy your stupid excuses anymore!

6. (intransitive) To make a purchase or purchases, to treat (for a meal)

   She buys for Federated.

   Let's go out for dinner. I'm buying.

7. (poker slang, transitive) To make a bluff, usually a large one.

   Smith tried to buy the pot on the river with a huge bluff

• (obtain (something) in exchange for money) cheap (obsolete), purchase
• (accept as true) accept, believe, swallow (informal), take on
• ((intransitive) make a purchase) make a buy

• (obtain (something) in exchange for money) cheap (obsolete), sell, vend
• (accept as true) disbelieve, reject, pitch

• aby

• French: acheter
• German: kaufen
• Italian: comprare
• Portuguese: comprar, adquirir
• Russian: покупа́ть
• Spanish: comprar

• French: gober
• German: abkaufen, abnehmen
• Portuguese: engolir
• Russian: ве́рить
• Spanish: creer, comprar

buy (plural buys)

1. Something which is bought; a purchase.

   At only $30, the second-hand kitchen table was a great buy.

• sale