Definition of BUY

buy

Plural: buys

Noun

  • an advantageous purchase
    • "the stock was a real buy at that price"
  • Something which is bought; a purchase.

Verb

Verb Forms: bought, buying, buys

  • To acquire something by paying for it; to purchase.
  • obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
    • "She buys for the big department store"
  • make illegal payments to in exchange for favors or influence
  • be worth or be capable of buying
    • "This sum will buy you a ride on the train"
  • acquire by trade or sacrifice or exchange
    • "She wanted to buy his love with her dedication to him and his work"
  • accept as true
    • "I can't buy this story"
  • To obtain (something) in exchange for money or goods.
  • To obtain, especially by some sacrifice.
  • To suffer consequences for (something) through being deprived of something; to pay for (something one has done).
  • 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.

Examples

  • At only $30, the second-hand kitchen table was a great buy.
  • He tried to buy me with gifts, but I wouldn't give up my beliefs.
  • I'm not going to buy your stupid excuses anymore!
  • I've bought material comfort by foregoing my dreams.
  • Let's go out for dinner. I'm buying.
  • She buys for Federated.
  • Smith tried to buy the pot on the river with a huge bluff.
  • Sometimes you have to BUY a vowel, but in Scrabble, you just use what you get.
  • The dollar doesn't buy as much as it used to.
  • Who'd Father buy the car for? He boughtit for me, not for you.
  • You just bought yourself an assault charge!

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English byen, 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 *bʰewgʰ- (“to take away, deliver”).
Cognate with Scots buy (“to buy, purchase”), obsolete Dutch beugen (“to buy”), Old Saxon buggian, buggean (“to buy”), Old Norse byggja (“to build, settle”), Gothic 𐌱𐌿𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bugjan, “to buy”). The spelling with “u” is from the Southwest, while the pronunciation with /aɪ/ is from the East Midlands.

Synonyms

bargain, bribe, corrupt, grease one's palms, purchase, steal, aby, accept, believe, buy, cheap, make a buy, procure, snap up, swallow, take on

Scrabble Score: 8

buy: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
buy: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
buy: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

buy: valid Words With Friends Word