obtains

[Ob*tain·]

Obtain means to get something that is not so easy to come by such as knowledge, rights, or a large amount of money. You wouldn't say you obtained a pair of pants, unless they were one of a kind.

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To hold; to keep; to possess.

Verb
receive a specified treatment (abstract); "These aspects of civilization do not find expression or receive an interpretation"; "His movie received a good review"; "I got nothing but trouble for my good intentions"

Verb
come into possession of; "How did you obtain the visa?"

Verb
be valid, applicable, or true; "This theory still holds"

v. t.
To hold; to keep; to possess.

v. t.
To get hold of by effort; to gain possession of; to procure; to acquire, in any way.

v. i.
To become held; to gain or have a firm footing; to be recognized or established; to subsist; to become prevalent or general; to prevail; as, the custom obtains of going to the seashore in summer.

v. i.
To prevail; to succeed.

Obtain

Ob*tain" , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obtained ; p. pr. & vb. n. Obtaining.] [F. obtenir, L. obtinere; ob (see Ob-) + tenere to hold. See Tenable.] 1. To hold; to keep; to possess. [Obs.]

His mother, then, is mortal, but his Sire He who obtains the monarchy of heaven.

2. To get hold of by effort; to gain possession of; to procure; to acquire, in any way.

Some pray for riches; riches they obtain.

By guileful fair words peace may be obtained.

It may be that I may obtain children by her.

Syn. -- To attain; gain; procure; acquire; win; earn. See Attain. -- To Obtain, Get, Gain, Earn, Acquire. The idea of getting is common to all these terms. We may, indeed, with only a slight change of sense, substitute get for either of them; as, to get or to gain a prize; to get or to obtain an employment; to get or to earn a living; to get or to acquire a language. To gain is to get by striving; and as this is often a part of our good fortune, the word gain is peculiarly applicable to whatever comes to us fortuitously. Thus, we gain a victory, we gain a cause, we gain an advantage, etc. To earn is to deserve by labor or service; as, to earn good wages; to earn a triumph. Unfortunately, one does not always get or obtain what he has earned. To obtain implies desire for possession, and some effort directed to the attainment of that which is not immediately within our reach. Whatever we thus seek and get, we obtain, whether by our own exertions or those of others; whether by good or bad means; whether permanently, or only for a time. Thus, a man obtains an employment; he obtains an answer to a letter, etc. To acquire is more limited and specific. We acquire what comes to us gradually in the regular exercise of our abilities, while we obtain what comes in any way, provided we desire it. Thus, we acquire knowledge, property, honor, reputation, etc. What we acquire becomes, to a great extent, permanently our own; as, to acquire a language; to acquire habits of industry, etc.

Obtain

Ob*tain", v. i. 1. To become held; to gain or have a firm footing; to be recognized or established; to subsist; to become prevalent or general; to prevail; as, the custom obtains of going to the seashore in summer.

Sobriety hath by use obtained to signify temperance in drinking.

The Theodosian code, several hundred years after Justinian's time, did obtain in the western parts of Europe.

2. To prevail; to succeed. [R.] Evelyn.

So run that ye may obtain.

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

To hold; to keep; to possess.

To become held; to gain or have a firm footing; to be recognized or established; to subsist; to become prevalent or general; to prevail; as, the custom obtains of going to the seashore in summer.

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Usage Examples

By far the greatest part of those goods which are the objects of desire, are procured by labour and they may be multiplied, not in one country alone, but in many, almost without any assignable limit, if we are disposed to bestow the labour necessary to obtain them.

Property is unstable, and youth perishes in a moment. Life itself is held in the grinning fangs of Death, Yet men delay to obtain release from the world. Alas, the conduct of mankind is surprising.

Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal While others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before.

Faith is the virtue by which, clinging-to the faithfulness of God, we lean upon him, so that we may obtain what he gives to us.

Cats know how to obtain food without labor, shelter without confinement, and love without penalties.

It the British System is the most gigantic system of slavery the world has yet seen, and therefore it is that freedom gradually disappears from every country over which England is enabled to obtain control.

It is difficult to obtain the friendship of a cat. It is a philosophical animal... one that does not place its affections thoughtlessly.

Our promise to our children should be this: if you do well in school, we will pay for you to obtain a college degree.

Misspelled Form

obtains, iobtains, 9obtains, 0obtains, pobtains, lobtains, ibtains, 9btains, 0btains, pbtains, lbtains, oibtains, o9btains, o0btains, opbtains, olbtains, ovbtains, ogbtains, ohbtains, onbtains, o btains, ovtains, ogtains, ohtains, ontains, o tains, obvtains, obgtains, obhtains, obntains, ob tains, obrtains, ob5tains, ob6tains, obytains, obgtains, obrains, ob5ains, ob6ains, obyains, obgains, obtrains, obt5ains, obt6ains, obtyains, obtgains, obtqains, obtwains, obtsains, obtzains, obtqins, obtwins, obtsins, obtzins, obtaqins, obtawins, obtasins, obtazins, obtauins, obta8ins, obta9ins, obtaoins, obtajins, obtakins, obtauns, obta8ns, obta9ns, obtaons, obtajns, obtakns, obtaiuns, obtai8ns, obtai9ns, obtaions, obtaijns, obtaikns, obtaibns, obtaihns, obtaijns, obtaimns, obtai ns, obtaibs, obtaihs, obtaijs, obtaims, obtai s, obtainbs, obtainhs, obtainjs, obtainms, obtain s, obtainas, obtainws, obtaines, obtainds, obtainxs, obtainzs, obtaina, obtainw, obtaine, obtaind, obtainx, obtainz, obtainsa, obtainsw, obtainse, obtainsd, obtainsx, obtainsz.

Other Usage Examples

Everyone needs a certain amount of money. Beyond that, we pursue money because we know how to obtain it. We don't necessarily know how to obtain happiness.

Few men in our history have ever obtained the Presidency by planning to obtain it.

If you desire information on some point of law, you are not likely to ponder over the ponderous tomes of legal writers in order to obtain the knowledge you seek, by your own unaided efforts.

For whatever be the knowledge which we are able to obtain of God, either by perception or reflection, we must of necessity believe that He is by many degrees far better than what we perceive Him to be.

Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.

Peace, above all things, is to be desired, but blood must sometimes be spilled to obtain it on equable and lasting terms.

It is folly for a man to pray to the gods for that which he has the power to obtain by himself.

Leisure is the time for doing something useful. This leisure the diligent person will obtain the lazy one never.