1. To acquire in exchange for money or its equivalent; purchase. See Regional Note at boughten. 2. To be capable of purchasing: “Certainly there are lots of things in life that money won't buy” (Ogden Nash). 3. To acquire by sacrifice, exchange, or trade: wanted to buy love with gifts.4. To bribe: tried to buy a judge.5.Informal To accept the truth or feasibility of: The officer didn't buy my lame excuse for speeding.
INTRANSITIVE VERB:
To purchase something; act as a purchaser.
NOUN:
1. Something bought or for sale; a purchase. 2. An act of purchasing: a drug buy.3.Informal Something that is underpriced; a bargain.
PHRASAL VERBS:
buy into1. To acquire a stake or interest in: bought into a risky real estate venture.2.Informal To believe in, especially wholeheartedly or uncritically: couldn't buy into that brand of conservatism.buy off To bribe (an official, for example) in order to secure improper cooperation or gain exemption from a regulation or legal consequence. buy out To purchase the entire stock, business rights, or interests of. buy up To purchase all that is available of.
IDIOMS:
buy itSlang To be killed. buy time To increase the time available for a specific purpose: “A moderate recovery thus buys time for Congress and the Administration to whittle the deficit” (G. David Wallace).buy the farmSlang To die, especially suddenly or violently.
b
a·ble —ADJECTIVE
