- 1 [transitive, intransitive] to obtain something by paying money for it buy (something) Where did you buy that dress? If you're thinking of getting a new car, now is a good time to buy. buy something from somebody I bought it from a friend for £10. buy somebody something He bought me a new coat. buy something for somebody He bought a new coat for me. buy something + adj. I bought my car second-hand. opposite sell Wordfindershopassistant, buy, counter, display, fitting room, promotion, sale, shop, store, till More Like This Verbs with two objects bet, bring, build, buy, cost, get, give, leave, lend, make, offer, owe, pass, pay, play, post, promise, read, refuse, sell, send, show, sing, take, teach, tell, throw, wish, writeSee worksheet. Wordfinderbuybuy, discount, loyalty card, purchase, receipt, reduction, refund, short-change, store card, voucher Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbcheaply, online, locally, … verb + buycan afford to, can’t afford to prepositionat, for, from, … phrasesbuy and sell, money can buy, money can’t buy, … See full entry See related entries: Shopping in stores, Buying a home
- 2[transitive] buy something (of money) to be enough to pay for something He gave his children the best education that money can buy. Five pounds doesn't buy much nowadays. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbcheaply, online, locally, … verb + buycan afford to, can’t afford to prepositionat, for, from, … phrasesbuy and sell, money can buy, money can’t buy, … See full entry
- 3[transitive] buy somebody to persuade somebody to do something dishonest in return for money synonym bribe He can't be bought (= he's too honest to accept money in this way). obtain
- 4[transitive, usually passive] buy something to obtain something by losing something else of great value Her fame was bought at the expense of her marriage. believe
- 5[transitive] buy something (informal) to believe that something is true, especially something that is not very likely You could say you were ill but I don't think they'd buy it (= accept the explanation). Word OriginOld English bycgan, of Germanic origin.Extra examples He bought a car for his daughter. I bought it for $25. I bought some books from a friend. I can’t afford to buy a new car. It’s the best that money can buy. Old bicycles can be bought quite cheaply. She makes her living buying and selling antiques. There are some things money can’t buy. Was the produce imported or bought locally? We can afford to buy enough paint to do the whole house. Young people are very comfortable buying online. Five pounds doesn’t buy much nowadays. I bought this from a friend for £10. If you’re thinking of getting a new car, now is a good time to buy.Idioms
verb jump to other results
BrE BrE//baɪ//; NAmE NAmE//baɪ//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they buy BrE BrE//baɪ//; NAmE NAmE//baɪ//
he / she / it buys BrE BrE//baɪz//; NAmE NAmE//baɪz//
past simple bought BrE BrE//bɔːt//; NAmE NAmE//bɔːt//
past participle bought BrE BrE//bɔːt//; NAmE NAmE//bɔːt//
-ing form buying BrE BrE//ˈbaɪɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//ˈbaɪɪŋ//
Shopping in stores, Buying a homethe very best We make sure our clients get the best that money can buy.
(informal) to be killed, especially in an accident or a war Joe finally bought it in a plane crash in Tunisia.
(North American English, informal) to die to do something in order to delay an event, a decision, etc. The negotiators kept the gunman talking to buy time for the hostages.
if you buy a pig in a poke, you buy something without seeing it or knowing if it is good enough Buying from a catalogue can mean buying a pig in a poke.
(old-fashioned, British English, informal) to sell somebody or be sold something that has no value or is worth much less than the price paid Phrasal Verbsbuy inbuy intobuy offbuy outbuy up
Check pronunciation: buy
