Purchase | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Pār'chase, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. PURCHASED (pür'-chest, 42, 108); p. pr. & vb. n. PURCHASING.] [Fr. pourchasser, to pursue, to seek eagerly; O. Fr. porchacer, porchacier, purchacier, from pour, por, pur, for, and chasser, chacier, to pursue, to chase; Pr. percasser, It. procacciare. See CHASE.]

To pursue and obtain; to acquire by seeking; to gain, obtain, or acquire. “That loves the thing he can not purchase.” Spencer.
To obtain by paying money or its equivalent; to buy; as, to purchase land, or a house.
To obtain by any outlay, as of labor, danger, or other sacrifice; as, to purchase favor with flattery.

A world who would not purchase with a bruise? Milton. 4. To expiate by a fine or forfeit. [Obs.] Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses. Shak. 5. (Law.) (a.) To sue out or procure, as a writ. (b.) To acquire by any means except descent or inheritance. Blackstone.

Pār'chase, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. 1. To put forth effort to obtain any thing; to strive. [Obs.]

Duke John of Brabant purchased greatly that the Earl of Flanders should have his daughter in marriage. Berners.

Sense 2. To acquire wealth. [Obs.]

Sure our lawyers Would not purchase half so fast. J. Webster.

Sense 3. To apply a mechanical arrangement so as to get what is called a purchase. Totten.

Pār'chase, n.

noun

n. [O. Fr. pourchas, porchaz, purchaz, Pr. percatz, It. procaccio. See supra.]

Sense 1. The act of seeking and acquiring property.

Sense 2. The acquisition of title to, or property in, any thing for a price or equivalent; buying.

It is foolish to lay out money in the purchase of repentance. Franklin.

Sense 3. An attempt to acquire; endeavor. [Obs.]

I'll ... get meat to save thee, Or lose my life in the purchase. Beau. & Fl.

Sense 4. That which is acquired by seeking or by giving an equivalent; property; possession; acquisition.

A beauty-waning and distressed widow Made prize and purchase of his wanton eye. Shak.

Sense 5. That which is obtained by giving an equivalent price in money.

The scrip was complete evidence of his right in the purchase. Wheaton.

Sense 6. Produce of robbery; plunder; booty. [Obs.]

All the purses and purchase, I give to you to-day by conveyance, bring hither to Ursula's presently. Here we will meet at night, in her lodge, and share. B. Jonson.

Sense 7. Any mechanical hold, advantage, power, or force applied to the raising or removing of heavy bodies, as by a lever, a tackle, capstan, and the like.

A politician, to do great things, looks for a power—what our workmen call a purchase. Burke.

Sense 8. (Law.) Acquisition of lands or tenements by other means than descent or inheritance. Blackstone.

Purchase-criminal, robbery. [Obs.]

Nightly stealths and pillage several, Which he had got abroad by purchase-criminal. Spenser.

— Purchase-money, the money paid, or contracted to be paid, for any thing bought. Berkeley.