buy

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English

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.

Pronunciation

Verb

buy (third-person singular simple present buys, present participle buying, simple past bought, past participle bought or (archaic, rare, dialectal) boughten)

  1. (transitive, ditransitive) To obtain (something) in exchange for money or goods.
    I'm going to buy my father something nice for his birthday.
  2. (transitive, ditransitive) To obtain, especially by some sacrifice.
    I've bought material comfort by foregoing my dreams.
    You just bought yourself an assault charge!
  3. (transitive, archaic) To suffer consequences for (something) through being deprived of something; to pay for (something one has done).
  4. (transitive) To bribe.
    He tried to buy me with gifts, but I wouldn't give up my beliefs.
  5. (transitive) To be equivalent to in value.
    The dollar doesn't buy as much as it used to.
  6. (transitive, informal) to accept as true; to believe
    I'm not going to buy your stupid excuses anymore!
    • 2020, Akwaeke Emezi, The Death of Vivek Oji, Faber & Faber Ltd, page 201:
      People like to say that dead people look asleep, and maybe she would have bought that under different circumstances.
  7. (intransitive) To make a purchase or purchases, to treat (for a drink, meal or gift)
    She buys for Federated.
    Let's go out for dinner. I'm buying.
  8. (poker slang, transitive) To make a bluff, usually a large one.
    Smith tried to buy the pot on the river with a huge bluff

Conjugation

Conjugation of buy
infinitive (to) buy
present tense past tense
1st-person singular buy bought
2nd-person singular buyest** bought, boughtest**
3rd-person singular buys, buyeth** bought
plural — bought
subjunctive buy bought
imperative buy —
participles buying bought, boughten**
* Dialectal. ** Archaic.

Alternative forms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Terms derived from buy (verb)

Related terms

Descendants

  • Sranan Tongo: bai
  • Tok Pisin: baim

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Noun

buy (plural buys)

  2. Something which is bought; a purchase.
    At only $30, the second-hand kitchen table was a great buy.

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

purchase — see purchase

References

Anagrams

Chinese

Etymology

From English buy.

Pronunciation

Verb

buy

  1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) to accept (an idea)

Scots

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old English bycgan

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): (unstressed) , (stressed)

Verb

buy (third-person singular simple present buys, present participle buyin, simple past bocht, past participle bocht)

  1. buy

Tatar

Noun

buy

  1. length

Wolof

Etymology

Related to guy (“baobab tree”).

Noun

buy (definite form buy bi)

  1. baobab fruit
  2. sweet drink made of this fruit by adding water, sugar, milk, and other ingredients
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