Attain

//əˈteɪn// verb

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To gain (an object or desired result). transitive

    "To attain such a high level of proficiency requires hours of practice each day."

  2. 2
    reach a point in time, or a certain state or level wordnet
  3. 3
    To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at (a place, time, state, etc.). transitive

    "[…] my bones would rest, / That have but labour’d to attain this hour."

  4. 4
    reach a destination, either real or abstract wordnet
  5. 5
    To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc. intransitive

    "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I can not attain unto it."

Show 5 more definitions
  1. 6
    find unexpectedly wordnet
  2. 7
    To get at the knowledge of. obsolete, transitive

    "[…] Master Camden, sometimes acknowledgeth, sometimes denieth him for an English Earle. Not that I accuse him as inconstant to himself, but suspect my self not well attaining his meaning therein."

  3. 8
    to gain with effort wordnet
  4. 9
    To reach in excellence or degree. obsolete, transitive

    "Yet notwithstanding as Those that first bring Honour into their Family, are commonly more worthy, then most that succeed: So the first President (if it be good) is seldome attained by Imitation."

  5. 10
    To reach a person after being behind them. obsolete, transitive

    "The Earle finding […] the enemie retired, pursued with all celeritie into Scotland; hoping to haue ouer-taken the Scottish King, and to haue giuen him Battaile; But not attaining him in time, sate downe before the Castle of Aton […] which in a small time hee tooke."

Etymology

From Middle English atteynen, from Anglo-Norman ataindre, from Old French, from Latin attingō. Doublet of attainder and attinge.

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