(~s, ~ing, bought)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
If you ~ something, you obtain it by paying money for it.
He could not afford to ~ a house...
Lizzie bought herself a mountain bike...
I’d like to ~ him lunch.
VERB: V n, V pron-refl n, V n n
2.
If you talk about the quantity or standard of goods an amount of money ~s, you are referring to the price of the goods or the value of the money.
About ?35,000 ~s a habitable house...
If the pound’s value is high, British investors will spend their money abroad because the pound will ~ them more.
VERB: V n, V n n
3.
If you ~ something like time, freedom, or victory, you obtain it but only by offering or giving up something in return.
It was a risky operation, but might ~ more time...
For them, affluence was bought at the price of less freedom in their work environment.
VERB: V n, V n
4.
If you say that a person can be bought, you are criticizing the fact that they will give their help or loyalty to someone in return for money.
Once he shows he can be bought, they settle down to a regular payment.
= bribe
VERB: usu passive, be V-ed disapproval
5.
If you ~ an idea or a theory, you believe and accept it. (INFORMAL)
I’m not ~ing any of that nonsense.
VERB: V n
•
Buy into means the same as ~ .
I bought into the popular myth that when I got the new car or the next house, I’d finally be happy.
PHRASAL VERB: V P n
6.
If something is a good ~, it is of good quality and not very expensive.
This was still a good ~ even at the higher price...
= bargain
N-COUNT: supp N