–verb (used with object) | 1. | to acquire the possession of, or the right to, by paying or promising to pay an equivalent, esp. in money; purchase. |
| 2. | to acquire by exchange or concession: to buy favor with flattery. |
| 3. | to hire or obtain the services of: The Yankees bought a new center fielder. |
| 4. | to bribe: Most public officials cannot be bought. |
| 5. | to be the monetary or purchasing equivalent of: Ten dollars buys less than it used to. |
| 6. | Chiefly Theology. to redeem; ransom. |
| 7. | Cards. to draw or be dealt (a card): He bought an ace. |
| 8. | Informal. | a. | to accept or believe: I don't buy that explanation. |
| b. | to be deceived by: He bought the whole story. |
|
–verb (used without object) | 9. | to be or become a purchaser. |
–noun | 10. | an act or instance of buying. |
| 11. | something bought or to be bought; purchase: That coat was a sensible buy. |
| 12. | a bargain: The couch was a real buy. |
—Verb phrases| 13. | buy down, to lower or reduce (the mortgage interest rate) by means of a buy-down. |
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849
tr>| 14. | buy in, | a. | to buy a supply of; accumulate a stock of. |
| b. | to buy back one's own possession at an auction. |
Also, buy into. |
| 15. | buy into, to purchase a share, interest, or membership in: They tried to buy into the club but were not accepted. |
| 16. | buy off, to get rid of (a claim, opposition, etc.) by payment; purchase the noninterference of; bribe: The corrupt official bought off those who might expose him. |
| 17. | buy out, to secure all of (an owner or partner's) share or interest in an enterprise: She bought out an established pharmacist and is doing very well. |
| 18. | buy up, to buy as much as one can of something or as much as is offered for sale: He bought up the last of the strawberries at the fruit market. |
—Idiom| 19. | buy it, Slang. to get killed: He bought it at Dunkirk. |
