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—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.
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Universalium. 2010.