Attain | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

At-tāin', v. i.

verbintransitive

[According to its form, from Lat. attinere, to hold to, from ad and tenere, to hold, but with the sense of Fr. atteindre, Lat. attingere, from ad and tangere, to touch, reach.] 1. To come or arrive, by motion, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place or object; to reach. If by any means they might attain to Phenice. Acts xxvii. 12. 2. To come or arrive, by an effort of mind. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I can not attain to it. Ps. cxxxix. 6.

At-tāin', v. t.

verbtransitive

[imp. & p. p. ATTAINED; p. pr. & vb. n. ATTAINING.]

Sense 1. To achieve or accomplish, that is, to reach by efforts; to gain; to compass.

Is he wise who hopes to attain the end without the means? Tillotson.

Sense 2. To reach or come to, by progression or motion. [Rare.] “Canaan he now attains.” Milton.

But ere such tidings shall his ears attain. Hoole.

Sense 3. To reach in excellence or degree; to equal.

Synonyms—ATTAIN, OBTAIN, PROCURE. Attain always implies an effort toward an object. Hence it is not synonymous with obtain and procure, which do not necessarily imply such effort. We procure or obtain a thing by purchase or loan, and we obtain by inheritance, but we do not attain it by such means. An inattention to this distinction has led good authors into great mistakes in the use of this word.

At-tāin', n.

noun

Attainment. [Obs.]