ob|tain´ment

ob|tain´ment: ob|tain «uhb TAYN», transitive verb.

1. to get or procure through effort or diligence; come to have; acquire: »to obtain a job one applies for, to obtain a prize one has been working for, to obtain possession of a house one has rented, to obtain knowledge through study.
SYNONYM(S): secure, gain. See syn. under get. (Cf. ↑get)

2. Archaic. to attain; reach.

3. Obsolete. to hold; possess: »His mother then is mortal, but his Sire He who obtains the monarchy of Heaven (Milton).

–v.i.

1. to be in use; be customary; prevail: »Different rules obtain in different schools.

2. to get what is desired: »The simple heart, that freely asks in love, obtains (John Greenleaf Whittier).

3. Archaic. to prevail; succeed: »This, though it failed at present, yet afterwards obtained (Jonathan Swift).

4. Obsolete. to attain (to): »if a man cannot obtain to that judgment (Francis Bacon).

╂[< Middle English obteynen < Middle French obtenir < Latin obtinēre < ob- to + tenēre to hold]

–ob|tain´a|ble, adjective.

–|tain´er, noun.

–ob|tain´ment, noun.

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-tain|ment — combining form. Informal. having an element of diversion or pastime, may be denigrating:» edutainment; infotainment; shopper tainment. ╂[< (enter)tainment ] … Useful english dictionary
at|tain|ment — «uh TAYN muhnt», noun. 1. the act or process of attaining: »The right to speak freely is one of the necessary means to the attainment of the truth (Atlantic). 2. accomplishment; ability: »Benjamin Franklin was a man of varied attainments; he was… … Useful english dictionary
con|tain|ment — «kuhn TAYN muhnt», noun. 1. the act or fact of containing: »... the only known method of containment is with a strong magnetic field (Richard A. Ferrell). 2. the confinement of an unfriendly political or military force within existing… … Useful english dictionary
de|tain|ment — «dih TAYN muhnt», noun. = detention. (Cf. ↑detention) … Useful english dictionary
re|tain|ment — «rih TAYN muhnt», noun. the act of retaining; retention … Useful english dictionary
sus|tain|ment — «suh STAYN muhnt», noun. 1. the act of sustaining. 2. the state of being sustained. 3. a person or thing that sustains; means of support; sustenance … Useful english dictionary
as´cer|tain´ment — as|cer|tain «AS uhr TAYN», transitive verb. to find out for certain by trial and research; make sure of; determine: »The detective tried to ascertain the facts about the robbery. The question is how to ascertain what the people really want… … Useful english dictionary
re´at|tain´ment — re|at|tain «REE uh TAYN», transitive verb. to attain again. –re´at|tain´ment, noun … Useful english dictionary
doc|u|tain|ment — «DOK yuh TAYN muhnt», noun. U.S. television or other entertainment based on or including documentary material: »“I call it variety docutainment ,” says the production s executive producer…“We ll be using documentary inserts combined on stage with … Useful english dictionary
en|ter|tain|ment — «EHN tuhr TAYN muhnt», noun. 1. something that interests, pleases, or amuses. A show or a circus is an entertainment. SYNONYM(S): amusement, diversion, recreation, pastime. 2. the act of entertaining: »The hostess devoted herself to the… … Useful english dictionary

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ob|tain´ment

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ob|tain´ment

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