attain
/əˈteɪn/ verb B1- To come to or reach (a place) by motion or progression.
- To arrive at (a certain age or time, condition or state, etc.); to reach.
- To gain (a desired result or other objective) through effort; to accomplish, to achieve. · To attain such a high level of proficiency requires hours of practice each day.
- To arrive at a certain condition or state, etc.
- To gain possession of something tangible or intangible through effort.
Plural attain · He/she/it attains · Past attained · Past participle attained · -ing form attaining
Verb forms
- Base form
- attain
- He/she/it
- attains
- Past
- attained
- Past participle
- attained
- -ing form
- attaining
From the library
Who would chirp you to sleep, or call for you the covey of answering birds?” The Birdcatcher spared his life, and determined to pick out a fine young Cock just attaining to his comb.
“Nay, nay!” cried Caderousse, smiling, “you have not attained that honor yet.
“Is this,” said the Eagle, “the faithful fulfillment of your promise to me?” The Kite replied, “That I might attain your royal hand, there is nothing that I would not have promised, however much I knew that I must fail in the performance.”
Those were the early days at the end of the ’80’s, when Alec MacDonald was far from having attained the national fame which he has now achieved.
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