5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Purchase  \Pur"chase\  (?;  48),  n.  [OE.  purchds  F.  pourchas  eager 
  pursuit.  See  {Purchase},  v.  t.] 
  1.  The  act  of  seeking,  getting,  or  obtaining  anything  [Obs.] 
 
  I'll  .  .  .  get  meat  to  have  thee,  Or  lose  my  life  in 
  the  purchase.  --Beau.  &  Fl 
 
  2.  The  act  of  seeking  and  acquiring  property. 
 
  3.  The  acquisition  of  title  to  or  properly  in  anything  for 
  a  price;  buying  for  money  or  its  equivalent. 
 
  It  is  foolish  to  lay  out  money  in  the  purchase  of 
  repentance.  --Franklin. 
 
  4.  That  which  is  obtained,  got  or  acquired,  in  any  manner, 
  honestly  or  dishonestly;  property;  possession; 
  acquisition.  --Chaucer.  B.  Jonson 
 
  We  met  with  little  purchase  upon  this  coast,  except 
  two  small  vessels  of  Golconda.  --De  Foe. 
 
  A  beauty-waning  and  distressed  widow  .  .  .  Made 
  prize  and  purchase  of  his  lustful  eye.  --Shak. 
 
  5.  That  which  is  obtained  for  a  price  in  money  or  its 
  equivalent.  ``The  scrip  was  complete  evidence  of  his  right 
  in  the  purchase.''  --Wheaton. 
 
  6.  Any  mechanical  hold  or  advantage,  applied  to  the  raising 
  or  removing  of  heavy  bodies,  as  by  a  lever,  a  tackle, 
  capstan,  and  the  like  also  the  apparatus,  tackle,  or 
  device  by  which  the  advantage  is  gained. 
 
  A  politician,  to  do  great  things  looks  for  a  power 
  --  what  our  workmen  call  a  purchase.  --Burke. 
 
  7.  (Law)  Acquisition  of  lands  or  tenements  by  other  means 
  than  descent  or  inheritance,  namely,  by  one's  own  act  or 
  agreement.  --Blackstone. 
 
  {Purchase  criminal},  robbery.  [Obs.]  --Spenser. 
 
  {Purchase  money},  the  money  paid,  or  contracted  to  be  paid, 
  for  anything  bought.  --Berkeley. 
 
  {Worth,  or  At},  {[so  many]  years'  purchase},  a  phrase  by 
  which  the  value  or  cost  of  a  thing  is  expressed  in  the 
  length  of  time  required  for  the  income  to  amount  to  the 
  purchasing  price;  as  he  bought  the  estate  at  a  twenty 
  years'  purchase.  To  say  one's  life  is  not  worth  a  day's 
  purchase  in  the  same  as  saying  one  will  not  live  a  day  or 
  is  in  imminent  peril. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Purchase  \Pur"chase\  (?;  48),  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Purchased}; 
  p.  pr  &  vb  n.  {Purchasing}.]  [OE.  purchasen,  porchacen  OF 
  porchacier  purchacier  to  pursue,  to  seek  eagerly,  F. 
  pourchasser  OF  pour,  por,  pur,  for  (L.  pro)  +  chacier  to 
  pursue,  to  chase.  See  {Chase}.] 
  1.  To  pursue  and  obtain;  to  acquire  by  seeking;  to  gain, 
  obtain,  or  acquire.  --Chaucer. 
 
  That  loves  the  thing  he  can  not  purchase.  --Spenser. 
 
  Your  accent  is  Something  finer  than  you  could 
  purchase  in  so  removed  a  dwelling.  --Shak. 
 
  His  faults  .  .  .  hereditary  Rather  than  purchased. 
  --Shak. 
 
  2.  To  obtain  by  paying  money  or  its  equivalent;  to  buy  for  a 
  price;  as  to  purchase  land,  or  a  house. 
 
  The  field  which  Abraham  purchased  of  the  sons  of 
  Heth.  --Gen.  xxv. 
  10. 
 
  3.  To  obtain  by  any  outlay,  as  of  labor,  danger,  or 
  sacrifice,  etc.;  as  to  purchase  favor  with  flattery. 
 
  One  poor  retiring  minute  .  .  .  Would  purchase  thee  a 
  thousand  thousand  friends.  --Shak. 
 
  A  world  who  would  not  purchase  with  a  bruise? 
  --Milton. 
 
  4.  To  expiate  by  a  fine  or  forfeit.  [Obs.] 
 
  Not  tears  nor  prayers  shall  purchase  out  abuses. 
  --Shak. 
 
  5.  (Law) 
  a  To  acquire  by  any  means  except  descent  or  inheritance. 
  --Blackstone. 
  b  To  buy  for  a  price. 
 
  6.  To  apply  to  anything  a  device  for  obtaining  a  mechanical 
  advantage;  to  get  a  purchase  upon  or  apply  a  purchase  to 
  as  to  purchase  a  cannon. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Purchase  \Pur"chase\,  v.  i. 
  1.  To  put  forth  effort  to  obtain  anything  to  strive;  to 
  exert  one's  self  [Obs.] 
 
  Duke  John  of  Brabant  purchased  greatly  that  the  Earl 
  of  Flanders  should  have  his  daughter  in  marriage. 
  --Ld.  Berners 
 
  2.  To  acquire  wealth  or  property.  [Obs.] 
 
  Sure  our  lawyers  Would  not  purchase  half  so  fast 
  --J.  Webster. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  purchase 
  n  1:  the  acquisition  of  something  for  payment;  "they  closed  the 
  purchase  with  a  handshake" 
  2:  something  acquired  by  purchase 
  3:  a  means  of  exerting  influence  or  gaining  advantage;  "he 
  could  get  no  purchase  on  the  situation" 
  4:  the  mechanical  advantage  gained  by  being  in  a  position  to 
  use  a  lever  [syn:  {leverage}] 
  v  :  obtain  by  purchase;  acquire  by  means  of  a  financial 
  transaction:  "The  family  purchased  a  new  car";  "The 
  conglomerate  acquired  a  new  company";  "She  buys  for  the 
  big  department  store"  [syn:  {buy}]  [ant:  {sell}] 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Purchase,  NY 
  Zip  code(s):  10577 

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