buy

Meanings

Verb

• To obtain (something) in exchange for money or goods
• To obtain, especially by some sacrifice.
• To bribe.
• To be equivalent to in value.
• to accept as true; to believe
• To make a purchase or purchases, to treat (for a drink, meal or gift)
• To make a bluff, usually a large one.

Noun

• Something which is bought; a purchase.

Related

Similar words

• cheap , purchase
• accept, believe, swallow , take on
• make a buy

Opposite words

• cheap , sell, vend
• disbelieve, reject, pitch
• sale

Origin

• From Middle English bien, biggen, buggen, from Old English bycġan ("to buy, pay for, acquire, redeem, ransom, procure, get done, sell"), from Proto-West Germanic *buggjan, from Proto-Germanic *bugjaną ("to buy"), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *bʰūgʰ- ("to bend"), or from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeugʰ- ("to take away, deliver").
• Cognate with Scots by ("to buy, purchase"), obsolete Dutch beugen ("to buy"), Old Saxon buggian, buggean, Old Norse byggja ("to procure a wife, lend at interest, let out"), Gothic 𐌱𐌿𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽 ("to buy"). The spelling with “u” is from the Southwest, while the pronunciation with /aɪ/ is from the East Midlands.