acquire
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to get something, often by buying it or being given it.
to come into possession or ownership of an object or asset. Transitive — requires a direct object.
Simple“The local museum managed to acquire several rare paintings from a private collector.”
In context“The corporation moved quickly to acquire its smaller competitor, aiming to consolidate its market share before the end of the fiscal year.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
to learn a new skill or start to have a certain habit or quality.
to develop a skill, habit, or quality through a gradual process of learning or experience.
Simple“It takes many years of practice to acquire a high level of skill in playing the piano.”
In context“Children typically acquire their first language naturally through social interaction rather than through formal instruction.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
to become infected with a disease or medical condition.
to contract or become affected by a pathogen or medical condition. Often used in clinical contexts to describe how a patient became ill.
Simple“The doctor explained that the patient had acquired the infection while traveling abroad.”
In context“Hospital-acquired infections remain a significant challenge for healthcare providers despite rigorous sanitisation protocols.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
to collect signals or information and turn them into digital data.
to sample physical signals and convert them into digital values for processing. Usually takes 'data' or 'signals' as an object.
Simple“The sensors acquire data every millisecond to ensure the readings are accurate.”
In context“The system is designed to acquire and process high-resolution imagery in real-time for environmental monitoring.”
- 05 C2 Proficiency
to find and start following a moving target with a camera or weapon system.
to detect and begin tracking a mobile target with a sensor, radar, or sight, typically as a precursor to engagement.
Simple“The pilot was able to acquire the target despite the heavy cloud cover.”
In context“Once the radar system acquires the incoming projectile, the automated defence battery calculates an intercept trajectory within seconds.”
Usage acquire data · acquire information · acquire knowledge
“While some may question whether small museums have the financial means to acquire expensive collections such as Moore’s, Evans was confident the money could have been raised.”
“More than 120,000 babies around the world acquire HIV each year.”
From Middle English acqueren, from Old French aquerre, from Latin acquirō; ad- + quaerō (“to seek for”). See quest.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.