obtain
v.v. to get something, especially by working hard or following a formal process. You use this word when you finally have something you wanted or needed.
v. to acquire or come into possession of something through effort, request, or formal procedure. Frequently used in academic and professional contexts to describe the acquisition of information, permission, or physical assets.
You must obtain a permit before you start building.
The researchers had to obtain written consent from every participant before the study could begin.
While the primary data was easy to collect, the team struggled to obtain the historical records necessary to validate their long-term projections.
From Middle English obteinen, from Anglo-Norman obtenir, optiner et al., and Middle French obtenir, from Latin obtinēre (“to gain, achieve, succeed, possess”), from ob- + tenēre (“to hold”).
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object. In formal contexts, it can also function as an intransitive verb meaning 'to be prevalent or customary', though this is less common.
He obtained to the top of the mountainHe reached the top of the mountainObtain means to get an object or result; it cannot be used as a verb of motion to mean 'reach' a physical destination.