(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
If a company or business person makes an ~, they buy another company or part of a company. (BUSINESS)
...the ~ of a profitable paper recycling company.
N-VAR: oft N of n
2.
If you make an ~, you buy or obtain something, often to add to things that you already have.
...the President’s recent ~ of a helicopter.
= purchase
N-COUNT: oft N of n
3.
The ~ of a skill or a particular type of knowledge is the process of learning it or developing it.
...language ~.
N-UNCOUNT: n N, N of n