Collins English-English Dictionary

buy [baɪ]

1. 1. vb [mainly tr] to acquire by paying or promising to pay a sum of money or the equivalent; purchase

2. 2. vb to be capable of purchasing

   money can't buy love

3. 3. vb to acquire by any exchange or sacrifice

   to buy time by equivocation

4. 4. vi. [intr] to act as a buyer

5. 5. vi. to bribe or corrupt; hire by or as by bribery

6. 6. vi. [slang] to accept as true, practical, etc

7. 7. vi. [intr; foll by into] to purchase shares of (a company)

   we bought into General Motors

8. 8. vt. [tr] [theol] (esp of Christ) to ransom or redeem (a Christian or the soul of a Christian)

9. 9. n a purchase (often in the phrases good or bad buy)

10. 10. n See also buy in buy into buy off buy out buy up

11. 11. n [Etymology] Old English bycgan; related to Old Norse byggja to let out, lend, Gothic bugjan to buy

12. 12. n [Usage] The use of off after buy as in I bought this off my neighbour was formerly considered incorrect, but is now acceptable in informal contexts