acquire
1. come into the possession of something concrete or abstract (Freq. 34)
- She got a lot of paintings from her uncle
- They acquired a new pet
- Get your results the next day
- Get permission to take a few days off from work
• Syn:
get
• Derivationally related forms:
acquisitive, acquirable, acquiring, acquisition, acquirer, getting (for: get)
• Hyponyms:
isolate, win back, get back, press out, express,
extract, capture, catch, come by, come into, buy,
purchase, lease, rent, hire, charter, engage,
take, receive, have, turn, find, glom,
enter upon, come upon, luck into, line up, get hold, come up,
accept, obtain, recover, retrieve, regain, recoup,
recuperate, reclaim, repossess, win, gain, take in,
clear, make, earn, realize, realise, pull in,
bring in, garner, profit, benefit, partake, share,
partake in, preempt, collect, pick up, gather up, call for,
inherit, borrow, get, poll
• Verb Group:
receive, get, find, obtain, incur
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Somebody ----s somebody
- Somebody ----s something from somebody
- The children acquire the ball
2. take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect (Freq. 5)
- His voice took on a sad tone
- The story took a new turn
- he adopted an air of superiority
- She assumed strange manners
- The gods assume human or animal form in these fables
• Syn:
assume, adopt, take on, take
• Hypernyms:
change
• Hyponyms:
re-assume
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s something
3. come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes) (Freq. 1)
- He grew a beard
- The patient developed abdominal pains
- I got funny spots all over my body
- Well-developed breasts
• Syn:
grow, develop, produce, get
• Derivationally related forms:
getting (for: get), development (for: develop)
• Hypernyms:
change
• Hyponyms:
fledge, feather, regrow, spring, sprout,
stock, stool, tiller, leaf, pod, teethe,
pupate, work up, get up, cut
• Verb Group:
develop, evolve
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
4. locate (a moving entity) by means of a tracking system such as radar
• Hypernyms:
situate, locate
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
5. win something through one's efforts
- I acquired a passing knowledge of Chinese
- Gain an understanding of international finance
• Syn:
win, gain
• Ant:
lose (for: win)
• Derivationally related forms:
gainer (for: gain), winner (for: win), win (for: win), winnings (for: win), winning (for: win)
• Hypernyms:
get
• Hyponyms:
cozen
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Somebody ----s something from somebody
6. gain knowledge or skills
- She learned dancing from her sister
- I learned Sanskrit
- Children acquire language at an amazing rate
• Syn:
learn, larn
• Derivationally related forms:
acquisition, learner (for: learn)
• Hyponyms:
relearn, catch up, absorb, assimilate, ingest,
take in, study, hit the books
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s
- Somebody ----s something
- Somebody ----s PP
- Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
7. gain through experience
- I acquired a strong aversion to television
- Children must develop a sense of right and wrong
- Dave developed leadership qualities in his new position
- develop a passion for painting
• Syn:
develop, evolve
• Derivationally related forms:
evolution (for: evolve)
• Hypernyms:
change
• Verb Group:
grow, develop, produce, get, explicate, formulate
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
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