buy

CEFRA1

/baɪ/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To get something by paying money for it.

  2. 02

    noun

    A purchase that seems good for its price.

Examples

  • It's a pity that you can't buy miracles like you would buy potatoes.

  • Someday I will buy a cotton candy machine.

At a glance

Sits at A1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • [bɑɪ]
  • [bɑj]

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To obtain, especially by some sacrifice.

  2. To suffer consequences for (something) through being deprived of something; to pay for (something one has done).

  3. To obtain (something) in exchange for money or goods.

More examples

In context

  • Where did you buy that dress?

  • I've bought material comfort by foregoing my dreams.

  • Who'd Father buy the car for? He bought it for me, not for you.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

I plan to blank a new laptop with the money I saved this month.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

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.