Search Result for "attain": 
Wordnet 3.0

VERB (4)

1. to gain with effort;
- Example: "she achieved her goal despite setbacks"
[syn: achieve, accomplish, attain, reach]

2. reach a point in time, or a certain state or level;
- Example: "The thermometer hit 100 degrees"
- Example: "This car can reach a speed of 140 miles per hour"
[syn: reach, hit, attain]

3. find unexpectedly;
- Example: "the archeologists chanced upon an old tomb"
- Example: "she struck a goldmine"
- Example: "The hikers finally struck the main path to the lake"
[syn: fall upon, strike, come upon, light upon, chance upon, come across, chance on, happen upon, attain, discover]

4. reach a destination, either real or abstract;
- Example: "We hit Detroit by noon"
- Example: "The water reached the doorstep"
- Example: "We barely made it to the finish line"
- Example: "I have to hit the MAC machine before the weekend starts"
[syn: reach, make, attain, hit, arrive at, gain]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Attain \At*tain"\ ([a^]t*t[=a]n"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attained (-t[=a]nd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Attaining.] [Of. atteinen, atteignen, atainen, OF. ateindre, ataindre, F. atteindre, fr. L. attingere; ad + tangere to touch, reach. See Tangent, and cf. Attinge, Attaint.] 1. To achieve or accomplish, that is, to reach by efforts; to gain; to compass; as, to attain rest. [1913 Webster] Is he wise who hopes to attain the end without the means? --Abp. Tillotson. [1913 Webster] 2. To gain or obtain possession of; to acquire. [Obs. with a material object.] --Chaucer. [1913 Webster] 3. To get at the knowledge of; to ascertain. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Not well attaining his meaning. --Fuller. [1913 Webster] 4. To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at. "Canaan he now attains." --Milton. [1913 Webster] 5. To overtake. [Obs.] --Bacon. [1913 Webster] 6. To reach in excellence or degree; to equal. [1913 Webster] Syn: To Attain, Obtain, Procure. Usage: Attain always implies an effort toward an object. Hence it is not synonymous with obtain and procure, which do not necessarily imply such effort or motion. We procure or obtain a thing by purchase or loan, and we obtain by inheritance, but we do not attain it by such means. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Attain \At*tain"\, n. Attainment. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Attain \At*tain"\, v. i. 1. To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.; to reach. [1913 Webster] If by any means they might attain to Phenice. --Acts xxvii. 12. [1913 Webster] Nor nearer might the dogs attain. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster] To see your trees attain to the dignity of timber. --Cowper. [1913 Webster] Few boroughs had as yet attained to power such as this. --J. R. Green. [1913 Webster] 2. To come or arrive, by an effort of mind. [1913 Webster] Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I can not attain unto it. --Ps. cxxxix. 6. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

attain v 1: to gain with effort; "she achieved her goal despite setbacks" [syn: achieve, accomplish, attain, reach] 2: reach a point in time, or a certain state or level; "The thermometer hit 100 degrees"; "This car can reach a speed of 140 miles per hour" [syn: reach, hit, attain] 3: find unexpectedly; "the archeologists chanced upon an old tomb"; "she struck a goldmine"; "The hikers finally struck the main path to the lake" [syn: fall upon, strike, come upon, light upon, chance upon, come across, chance on, happen upon, attain, discover] 4: reach a destination, either real or abstract; "We hit Detroit by noon"; "The water reached the doorstep"; "We barely made it to the finish line"; "I have to hit the MAC machine before the weekend starts" [syn: reach, make, attain, hit, arrive at, gain]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

70 Moby Thesaurus words for "attain": accede, accomplish, achieve, approach, arrive, arrive at, arrive in, attain to, be instated, be received, blow in, bob up, check in, clock in, come, come in, come to, come to hand, compass, consummate, deal with, discharge, dispatch, dispose of, do, do the job, do the trick, effect, effectuate, enact, execute, fetch, fetch up at, find, fulfill, gain, get in, get there, get to, hit, hit town, knock off, make, make good, make it, manage, mount the throne, perform, polish off, pop up, produce, pull in, punch in, put away, reach, realize, ring in, roll in, score, show up, sign in, succeed, take care of, take office, time in, turn the trick, turn up, win, work, work out