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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Acquire \Ac*quire"\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Acquired}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Acquiring}.] [L. acquirere, acquisitum; ad + quarere to seek for. In OE. was a verb aqueren, fr. the same, through OF. aquerre. See {Quest}..] To gain, usually by one's own exertions; to get as one's own; as, to acquire a title, riches, knowledge, skill, good or bad habits.
No virtue is acquired in an instant, but step by step. --Barrow.
Descent is the title whereby a man, on the death of his ancestor, acquires his estate, by right of representation, as his heir at law. --Blackstone.
Syn: To obtain; gain; attain; procure; win; earn; secure. See {Obtain}.
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
verb
1: come into the possession of something concrete or abstract; "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}, {acquire}]
2: take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect; "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}, {acquire}, {adopt}, {take on}, {take}]
3: come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes); "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}, {acquire}]
4: locate (a moving entity) by means of a tracking system such as radar
5: win something through one's efforts; "I acquired a passing knowledge of Chinese"; "Gain an understanding of international finance" [syn: {acquire}, {win}, {gain}] [ant: {lose}]
6: gain knowledge or skills; "She learned dancing from her sister"; "I learned Sanskrit"; "Children acquire language at an amazing rate" [syn: {learn}, {larn}, {acquire}]
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}, {acquire}, {evolve}]
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Definitions retrieved from the Open Source DICT Webster's English and WordNet 3.0 dictionaries. Click here for database copyright information.
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