From Middle English purchasen, from Anglo-Norman purchacer from pur- (from Latin pro-) + chac(i)er.

• (America) IPA: /ˈpɝ.t͡ʃəs/
• (RP) IPA: /ˈpɜː(ɹ).t͡ʃəs/

purchase

1. The acquisition of title to, or property in, anything for a price; buying for money or its equivalent.

   They offer a free hamburger with the purchase of a drink.

2. That which is obtained, got or acquired, in any manner, honestly or dishonestly; property; possession; acquisition.
3. That which is obtained for a price in money or its equivalent.

   He was pleased with his latest purchase.

4. (obsolete) The act or process of seeking and obtaining something (e.g. property, etc.)
   • c. 1613 (first performance), John Fletcher, “The Tragedie of Bonduca”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC ↗, Act V, scene iii:

     I'll […] get meat to save thee, / Or lose my life i’ th’ purchase.

5. A price paid for a house or estate, etc. equal to the amount of the rent or income during the stated number of years.
   • 1848, The Sessional Papers printed by order of the House of Lords:

     Suppose a freehold house to be worth 20 years’ purchase […]

6. (uncountable, also, figuratively) Any mechanical hold or advantage, applied to the raising or removing of heavy bodies, as by a lever, a tackle or capstan.

   Synonyms: contact, grip, hold

   It is hard to get purchase on a nail without a pry bar or hammer.

7. The apparatus, tackle or device by which such mechanical advantage is gained and (in nautical terminology) the ratio of such a device, like a pulley, or block and tackle.
8. (rock climbing, uncountable) The amount of hold one has from an individual foothold or ledge.

   Synonyms: foothold, support

9. (legal, dated) Acquisition of lands or tenements by means other than descent or inheritance, namely, by one's own act or agreement.
   • 1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC ↗:

     The difference […] between the acquisition of an estate by descent and by purchase

• French: achat, acquisition
• German: Einkauf, Kauf
• Italian: compra, acquisto
• Portuguese: compra, aquisição
• Russian: поку́пка
• Spanish: compra, adquisición

• French: achat, acquisition
• German: Kauf, Anschaffung
• Italian: compravendita
• Portuguese: aquisição, compra
• Russian: ку́пленная вещь
• Spanish: adquisición, compra

• German: Anschaffung
• Italian: acquisto
• Portuguese: compra, compras
• Russian: поку́пка

• Italian: acquisizione
• Russian: добы́тая вещь

• Russian: подъёмник

• Russian: подъёмник

purchase (purchases, present participle purchasing; simple past and past participle purchased)

1. To buy, obtain by payment of a price in money or its equivalent.

   to purchase land, to purchase a house

2. To pursue and obtain; to acquire by seeking; to gain, obtain, or acquire.
   • 1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “May. Ægloga Quinta.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Iohn Wolfe for Iohn Harrison the yonger, […], →OCLC ↗:

     that loves the thing he cannot purchase

   • c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene ii]:

     Your accent is something finer than you could purchase in so removed a dwelling.

   • c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act I, scene iv]:

     His faults […] hereditary / Rather than purchased.

3. To obtain by any outlay, as of labor, danger, or sacrifice, etc.

   to purchase favor with flattery

   • 1594, William Shakespeare, Lucrece (First Quarto), London: […] Richard Field, for Iohn Harrison, […], →OCLC ↗:

     One poor retiring minute […] / Would purchase thee a thousand thousand friends.

4. To expiate by a fine or forfeit.
   • c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene i]:

     Not tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses.

5. To apply to (anything) a device for obtaining a mechanical advantage; to get a purchase upon, or apply a purchase to; to raise or move by mechanical means.

   to purchase a cannon

6. To put forth effort to obtain anything; to strive; to exert oneself.
   • 1523–1525, John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners, Froissart's Chronicles

     Duke John of Brabant purchased greatly that the Earl of Flanders should have his daughter in marriage.

7. To constitute the buying power for a purchase, have a trading value.

   Many aristocratic refugees' portable treasures purchased their safe passage and comfortable exile during the revolution.

• (buy) procure

• French: acheter
• German: kaufen, anschaffen, erwerben, erstehen
• Italian: comprare, comperare (less common)
• Portuguese: comprar, comprar
• Spanish: comprar

• French: acquérir
• Russian: приобрета́ть

1. Surname.
2. A hamlet in Harrison, New York.