obtain, v.
(əbˈteɪn)
Forms: 5–6 ob-, op-, -teyne, -tayne, -teigne, -teygne, (5 optyne), 6 obtaigne, opteine, (Sc. obtene, obtine, optene), 6–7 obteine, -taine, (optain(e, 7 Sc. obtean), 6– obtain.
[ME. obteine, -teyne, -tene, a. F. obten-ir (14th c. in Littré), ad. L. obtinēre, f. ob- (ob- 1 b) + tenēre to hold, keep. Cf. contain.]
1. trans. To come into the possession or enjoyment of (something) by one's own effort, or by request; to procure or gain, as the result of purpose and effort; hence, generally, to acquire, get.
| c 1425 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 2085 And so the vyctory shall ye obteyne. 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) I. 291 Men of Norway..saylenge from Denmarke, opteynede and inhabite that grownde, callenge hit Normandy. 1490 Caxton Eneydos x. 40 [Eneas] opteyned her grace for to soiourne. 1526 Tindale Matt. v. 7 Blessed are the mercifull: for they shall obteyne mercy. 1548–9 (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer Coll. 23rd Sund. aft. Trin., Graunt that those thynges which we aske faithfully we maye obteine effectually. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxvii. 154 Obtaining Pardon by Mony, or other rewards. 1756 C. Lucas Ess. Waters III. 278 Gilded shillings..had obtained the name of Bath guineas. 1800 tr. Lagrange's Chem. I. 223 The precipitate obtained is sulphite of barytes. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. xx. 138, I climbed..to obtain a general view of the surrounding scene. 1890 Mercier Sanity & Insanity x. 261 The process of obtaining a livelihood. |
b. With obj. clause expressing what is granted in answer to a request. Now rare or Obs.
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) V. 397 Opteynynge unnethe of God that þe sawles of the monastery scholde be salvede. 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. 235 The abbot opteyned that there schuld no prioure longing to Seynt Albonne..be compelled for to gadere the dymes to the King. a 1648 Ld. Herbert Hen. VIII (1683) 318 They obtained that Francisco Sforza should be admitted to the Emperors prescence. 1737 Whiston Josephus Hist. i. xvi. §7 Macheras..earnestly begged and obtained that he would be reconciled. 1844 Kinglake Eothen 101, I obtained that all of them..should sit at the table. |
† c. With inf. obj. expressing what is got from, of a person; = to prevail upon. Obs.
| 1681 Dryden Abs. & Achit. To Rdr., I could not obtain from myself to show Absalom unfortunate. 1742 Richardson Pamela III. 227 The Gentlemen..obtained of Miss to play several Tunes on the Spinnet. 1751 Female Foundling I. 172 It was with Difficulty..I had obtained from myself to have this Conversation. |
d. absol. (Cf. 4.)
| 1526 Tindale 1 Cor. ix. 24 So runne that ye maye obtayne. 1599 B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. i. Wks. (Rtldg.) 73/1 Echo..Vouchsafe me, I may do him these last rites... Mer. Thou dost obtain. 1854 Whittier Hermit of the Thebaid iii, The simple heart, that freely asks In love, obtains. |
† 2. a. With pa. pple. as compl. To procure something to be done: = get v. 28 a. b. With inf. as compl. To induce, prevail upon (a person) to do something: = get v. 30. Obs. rare.
| 1425 Paston Lett. I. 21 Sir John Paston..hath optyned me condempnyd to hym in ccc[vij] marcz. 1592 Nobody & Someb. 595 in Simpson Sch. Shaks. (1878) I. 300 He..will not be obtaind To take upon him this Realmes government. |
† 3. To gain, win (a battle or other contest).
| a 1470 Tiptoft Cæsar i. (1530) 2 All the battels which he obteynyd in France. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. i. 4 That memorable Sea-battell there obtained against the Turk. a 1649 Winthrop Hist. New Eng. (1853) II. 142, I might have obtained the cause I had in hand. |
4. intr. To win the victory, gain the day, prevail; to succeed, prosper. Obs. or arch.
| c 1425 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1311 When olde Attropos had seen and herde..How Vertew had opteynyd. c 1440 Gesta Rom. i. xxxiv. 134 Pes, herynge..that mercy, hir sistre, myght not opteyne ne prevayle in hir purpose. 1526 R. Whitford Martiloge (1893) 74 For whose eleccyon was a sysme, but he obteyned, and well ruled. 1642 Milton Apol. Smect. Wks. (1847) 79/2 Too credulous is the confuter, if he think to obtain with me. 1701 Swift Contests Nobles & Comm. Athens & Rome iii, This, though it failed at present, yet afterwards obtained. 1847 Tennyson Princ. vii. 56 Less prosperously the second suit obtain'd. |
5. To attain to, get as far as, reach, gain. † a. intr. with to, unto: To get to. Obs.
| 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 37 Aske forgeuenesse..of god, and in thy self so doyng, thou mayest opteyne vnto hys grace. 1555 Eden Decades To Rdr. (Arb.) 51 Salomon..obteyned by his nauigations to Ophir. 1581 Sidney Apol. Poetrie (Arb.) 34 The Poets haue obtained to the..top of their profession. 1625 Bacon Ess., Simulation (Arb.) 507 If a Man cannot obtaine to that Iudgment. |
b. trans. To attain, reach, gain. Obs. or arch.
| 1589 Hakluyt Voy. 817 His consorts, whereof one..hath not long since obtayned his port. 1733 P. Shaw tr. Bacon's De Sap. Vet. iii. Expl., Philos. Wks. I. 561 The End is seldom obtained. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) IV. 316 If once the lama obtains the rocky precipice. 1830 Scott Demonol. (1831) 384 The vivacity of fancy..dies within us when we obtain the age of manhood. |
† c. with inf. To attain or come to be, to do, etc.; to get opportunity, permission, ability, etc. to do something; to succeed in doing something. Obs.
| 1526 Skelton Magnyf. 1815, I trust we shall optaine To do you servyce. a 1586 Sidney Arcadia (1622) 35 Clitophon by vehement importunitie obtained to goe with him. a 1688 Cudworth Immut. Mor. (1731) 117 The weaker Murmurs..cannot obtain to be heard. 1703 Maundrell Journ. Jerus. (1732) 7 It was not without much importunity that we obtain'd to have the use of a dry part of the House. |
† 6. To hold; to possess; to occupy. [A Latin sense.] Obs.
| 1482 Monk of Evesham (Arb.) 92 To haue and opteyne hem yn my lappe or holde hem in my harmys. c 1530 Ld. Berners Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814) 458 Who shal kepe and obtaine this countre after vs, syth that Arthur..is deed. 1671 Milton P.R. i. 87 He who obtains the Monarchy of Heav'n. 1710 Berkeley Princ. Human Knowl. i. §121 Varying the signification of each figure [in Arabic notation] according to the place it obtains. |
7. intr. To prevail; to be prevalent, customary, or established; to be in force or in vogue; to hold good, have place, subsist, exist. [? Allied to 4 or 6.]
| 1618 Hales Gold. Rem. ii. (1673) 66 Their opinions have now obtained for a hundred years. 1640 Bp. Hall Humb. Remonstr. 17 That forme of Episcopall Government, which hath hitherto obtained in the Church. 1732 Berkeley Alciphr. v. §13 A practice..which obtains only among the idle part of the nation. 1764 Reid Inquiry i. §3 Laws of nature which universally obtain. 1842 Grove Corr. Phys. Forces 75 Static equilibrium, such..as that which obtains in the two arms of a balance. 1890 Ld. Esher in Law Times Rep. LXIII. 731/2 The new mode, which now obtains, of drafting Acts of Parliament so as to legislate by incorporating other Acts of Parliament. |
† b. pass. = prec. sense. Obs. rare.
| 1529 More Dyaloge iv. Wks. 283/1 Which thing had vndoubtedly neuer been obteined among y⊇ people..if god had not broughte it vp hymselfe. 1565 Jewel Repl. Harding (1611) 410 Him, that is the Priest, or Elder, he calleth the Sacrificer..And the same word, Sacrificer, is now obteined by Custome. |
Hence obˈtained ppl. a., obˈtaining vbl. n.
| 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 53 Preamble, Your moost victorius opteynyng agayns Richard. 1539 J. Foster in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. II. 112 For the optaynyng of hys gracyous pardon. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VII, 4 In the very begynnyng of his newe obteyned reigne. a 1691 Boyle Hist. Air (1692) 19 Whether these obtained substances ought to be looked upon as true air. 1875 Whitney Life Lang. ii. 23 The advantage won by the mind in the obtaining of a language. |