buy
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buy
- /baɪ/
- [baɪ] UK, US
- [bɑj] British, Southern, Standard
- [baɪ] Canada
- [bəj] dialectal
- [bɑɪ] Australia
Sounds like bi, bye, by · Rhymes with -aɪ
Where it comes from
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.
verb buys · buying · bought · boughten · buy
- To obtain (something) in exchange for money or goods. Who'd Father buy the car for? He bought it for me, not for you.
- To obtain, especially by some sacrifice. I've bought material comfort by foregoing my dreams.
- To suffer consequences for (something) through being deprived of something; to pay for (something one has done). VVhat villaine, doſt ſtrike me? I ſweare by the rood, As I am Iacke Strawe, thou ſhalt buy it with thy blood.
- To bribe. He tried to buy me with gifts, but I wouldn't give up my beliefs.
- To be equivalent to in value. The dollar doesn't buy as much as it used to.
- to accept as true; to believe I'm not going to buy your stupid excuses anymore!
- To make a purchase or purchases, to treat (for a drink, meal or gift) She buys for Federated.
- To make a bluff, usually a large one. Smith tried to buy the pot on the river with a huge bluff.
noun buys
- Something which is bought; a purchase. At only $30, the second-hand kitchen table was a great buy.
