— buyable , adj.
/buy/ , v. , bought, buying , n.
v.t.
1. to acquire the possession of, or the right to, by paying or promising to pay an equivalent, esp. in money; purchase.
2. to acquire by exchange or concession: to buy favor with flattery.
3. to hire or obtain the services of: The Yankees bought a new center fielder.
4. to bribe: Most public officials cannot be bought.
5. to be the monetary or purchasing equivalent of: Ten dollars buys less than it used to.
6. Chiefly Theol. to redeem; ransom.
7. Cards. to draw or be dealt (a card): He bought an ace.
8. Informal.
a. to accept or believe: I don't buy that explanation.
b. to be deceived by: He bought the whole story.
v.i.
9. to be or become a purchaser.
10. buy down , to lower or reduce (the mortgage interest rate) by means of a buy-down.
11. buy in ,
a. to buy a supply of; accumulate a stock of.
b. to buy back one's own possession at an auction.
c. to undertake a buy-in. Also, buy into .
12. buy into , to purchase a share, interest, or membership in: They tried to buy into the club but were not accepted.
13. buy it , Slang. to get killed: He bought it at Dunkirk.
14. buy off , to get rid of (a claim, opposition, etc.) by payment; purchase the noninterference of; bribe: The corrupt official bought off those who might expose him.
15. buy out , to secure all of (an owner or partner's) share or interest in an enterprise: She bought out an established pharmacist and is doing very well.
16. buy up , to buy as much as one can of something or as much as is offered for sale: He bought up the last of the strawberries at the fruit market.
n.
17. an act or instance of buying.
18. something bought or to be bought; purchase: That coat was a sensible buy.
19. a bargain: The couch was a real buy.
[ bef. 1000; ME byen, var. of BYGGEN, BUGGEN, OE bycgan; c. OS buggjan, Goth bugjan to buy, ON byggja to lend, rent ]
Syn. 1. BUY, PURCHASE imply obtaining or acquiring property or goods for a price. BUY is the common and informal word, applying to any such transaction: to buy a house, vegetables at the market. PURCHASE is more formal and may connote buying on a larger scale, in a finer store, and the like: to purchase a year's supplies.
Ant. 1. sell.