From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishacquireac‧quire /əˈkwaɪə $ əˈkwaɪr/ ●●○ W2 AWL verb [transitive] 1 formalCOLLECTGET to obtain something by buying it or being given it Manning hoped to acquire valuable works of art as cheaply as possible. The council acquired the land using a compulsory purchase order.► see thesaurus at buy2 to get or gain something The college acquired a reputation for very high standards.RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say get rather than acquire:Where did you get that tie?He soon got a reputation for being unfriendly.3 LEARNto gain knowledge or learn a skill He spent years acquiring his skills as a surgeon. Elsie acquired a good knowledge of Chinese.► see thesaurus at get4 → acquire a taste for something5 → an acquired taste→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
acquire• AC Transit recently acquired 70 new buses equipped with wheelchair lifts.• Others acquired a harder outer membrane to later become skin-like materials.• They acquired a Tucson resort in 1991 and a Hyatt hotel in Houston in 1992.• He has acquired an autonomy and influence staggering even by the standards of a country where anomalies are institutionalised.• Official prices were low, but you had to pay with time or bribes to actually acquire anything.• The statue was acquired at great expense by the City Corporation.• In 1998 the business was acquired by a Dutch company.• Once slated for thousands of homes, the Daley Ranch was acquired by the city for $ 21 million in January.• They acquired joint and exclusive occupation of the flat in consideration of periodical payments and they therefore acquired a tenancy jointly.• Research helps us acquire new insight on the causes of diseases.• Many inner cities have acquired reputations for violent crime.• The Boston Museum of Fine Arts has recently acquired several paintings by Salvador Dali.• NTN acquired the rights to broadcast game data from football games in 1987.• It took him a long time to acquire the skills he needed to become a professional artist.• Robinson spent $20 million to acquire the symphony hall.• What concerns them is the risk that engineered plants might acquire weedy traits and escape from cultivation.From Longman Business Dictionaryacquireac‧quire /əˈkwaɪəəˈkwaɪr/ verb [transitive]1FINANCEto buy a companyThe group wants to acquire the company for $18 a share.2acquire a holding/an interest/a stakeFINANCE to buy part of a companyIt has acquired a 50% stake in a French electronics retailer.3to get something, especially something important or valuableThe course makes it possible for workers to acquire new skills.It has recently acquired the rights to hold Formula One races in Britain.The retailer has acquired a reputation for low prices and efficient service.→ See Verb tableOrigin acquire (1400-1500) Old French aquerre, from Latin acquirere, from ad- “to” + quaerere “to look for, obtain” 