# attain

Pronunciation: say "uh-TAYN" /əˈteɪn/

## Verb

1. To gain something you have aimed for, such as a goal, object, or desired result.
   - Simple: To finally get or reach something you have been working toward.
   - _The company hoped to attain a larger share of the market._
   - _Few athletes attain the level of fitness required for the Olympics._
2. To reach or arrive at a place, time, or state through movement or gradual progress.
   - Simple: To reach a place, time, or condition by moving or making progress toward it.
   - _The climbers attained the ridge after a grueling ascent._
   - _By midday the travelers attain the river crossing they had aimed for._
3. To come or arrive at a place, object, or state through motion, growth, or sustained effort.
   - Simple: To reach something in the end through effort, growth, or movement toward it.
   - _Only through years of devotion did he attain to mastery of the craft._
   - _They labored for decades before attaining to any measure of comfort._

## Verb

4. To come to learn or gain knowledge of a fact or truth. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To find out or come to know a fact or truth.
5. To equal or rival something in excellence or degree. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To reach the same level as something else in skill or quality.
6. To catch up with and reach a person who was ahead of you. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To catch up with someone you were behind.
   - _The pursuers attained the thieves just outside the city gates._
   - _He spurred his horse to attain the carriage ahead._

## Origin

It comes from Middle English atteynen, by way of Anglo-Norman ataindre and Old French, from the Latin attingō. It is a doublet of attainder and attinge.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/attain (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).