obtains
Sayuhb-TAYNZ/əbˈteɪnz/
- 1Third-person singular simple present of obtain.
The laboratory obtains its samples from three coastal sites each month.
A peculiar custom obtains in that valley, unchanged for centuries.
Note
One spelling carries two quite different verbs. With an object it means acquires: she obtains a permit, the lab obtains its samples. Without an object it means exists or holds true, and its subject is a rule, custom or condition: the same principle obtains here. To tell them apart, look for an object after the verb. The older meanings 'prevails' and 'possesses' are now obsolete.
obtains is a form of obtain
obtain, verb: To gain possession of something, or to acquire it by some means or effort. Full entry
- Spelling
- obtain → obtains: add -s
- Sound
- The ending sounds like /z/.
Use it in a sentence
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