ATTAIN • DICCIONARIO INGLES.COM • Definition of Attain

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/ətˈeɪn/ Listen

verb

Attain v. t. (past & past part. attained; pres. part. attaining)

1.

To achieve or accomplish, that is, to reach by efforts; to gain; to compass; as, to attain rest. "Is he wise who hopes to attain the end without the means?"

2.

To gain or obtain possession of; to acquire. (Obs. with a material object.)

3.

To get at the knowledge of; to ascertain. (Obs.) "Not well attaining his meaning."

4.

To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at. "Canaan he now attains."

5.

To overtake. (Obs.)

6.

To reach in excellence or degree; to equal.

Synonyms: To Attain, Obtain, Procure. Attain always implies an effort toward an object. Hence it is not synonymous with obtain and procure, which do not necessarily imply such effort or motion. We procure or obtain a thing by purchase or loan, and we obtain by inheritance, but we do not attain it by such means.

Attain v. i.

1.

To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.; to reach. "If by any means they might attain to Phenice." "Nor nearer might the dogs attain." "To see your trees attain to the dignity of timber." "Few boroughs had as yet attained to power such as this."

2.

To come or arrive, by an effort of mind. "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I can not attain unto it."

noun

Attain n. Attainment. (Obs.)

See images of 'Attain'

Etymology of 'Attain'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Attain" Quotes from Famous Books

... investigations. The fact was that I did not know how to use some of my scientific accessories,— never having been taught microscopies,—and those whose use I understood theoretically were of little avail, until by practice I could attain the necessary delicacy of handling. Still, such was the fury of my ambition, such the untiring perseverance of my experiments, that, difficult of credit as it may be, in the course of one year I became theoretically and ...

— The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. I., No. 3, January 1858 - A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics • Various

... Papacy did not attain its supremacy without encountering much opposition. But the protests on the part of bishops were unavailing, and they were themselves largely to blame for the height to which the papal power had grown. ...

— The Church and the Empire - Being an Outline of the History of the Church - from A.D. 1003 to A.D. 1304 • D. J. Medley

... sitting in the bonde next morning, saw with an uncanny clarity the one weak point in Ribiera's hold upon his subjects. When they had courage to fear nothing more than death, they could defy him. And not many could attain to ...

— Astounding Stories of Super-Science, May, 1930 • Various

... Eucla, where he had been with a survey party, the natives used such grounds in their initiation ceremonies. A youth on arriving at a certain age may become a warrior, and is then allowed to carry a shield and spear. Before he can attain this honour he must submit to some very horrible rites—which are best left undescribed. Seizing each an arm of the victim, two stalwart "bucks" (as the men are called) run him up and down the cleared space until they ...

— Spinifex and Sand - Five Years' Pioneering and Exploration in Western Australia • David W Carnegie

... me, Dixon. We will disregard the ethics of the thing and look at it from a purely rational viewpoint, if a rational viewpoint is possible to anybody but van Manderpootz. Don't you realize that in order to attain Carter's attitude toward Fitch, you would have to adopt his entire viewpoint? Not," he added tersely, "that I think his point of view is greatly inferior to yours, but I happen to prefer the viewpoint of a donkey to that of a mouse. Your particular brand ...

— The Point of View • Stanley Grauman Weinbaum

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