Obtain definition: to come into possession of; get, acquire, or procure, as through an effort or by a request.. See examples of OBTAIN used in a sentence.
Definition of obtain verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
obtain 1. 'obtain' If you obtain something that you want or need, you get it. I made another attempt to obtain employment. He had obtained the papers during his visits to Berlin.
obtain (third-person singular simple present obtains, present participle obtaining, simple past and past participle obtained) (transitive) To get hold of; to gain possession of, to procure; to acquire, in any way. [from 15th c.] quotations
Obtain means to get something that is not so easy to come by such as knowledge, rights, or a large amount of money. You wouldn't say you obtained a pair of pants, unless they were one of a kind. At times in its history, obtain has meant to be victorious or to succeed.
ob•tain (əb tān′), v.t. to come into possession of; get, acquire, or procure, as through an effort or by a request: to obtain permission; to obtain a better income. [Obs.]to attain or reach. v.i. to be prevalent, customary, or in vogue; prevail: the morals that obtained in Rome. [Archaic.]to succeed.
