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5 definitions found

From: DICT.TW English-Chinese Dictionary 英漢字典

 at·tain /əˈten/
 (vt.)達到,完成;到達(vi.)到達

From: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

 At·tain v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attained p. pr. & vb. n. Attaining.]
 1. To achieve or accomplish, that is, to reach by efforts; to gain; to compass; as, to attain rest.
    Is he wise who hopes to attain the end without the means?   --Abp. Tillotson.
 2. To gain or obtain possession of; to acquire. [Obs. with a material object.]
 3. To get at the knowledge of; to ascertain. [Obs.]
    Not well attaining his meaning.   --Fuller.
 4. To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at. “Canaan he now attains.”
 5. To overtake. [Obs.]
 6. To reach in excellence or degree; to equal.
 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.

From: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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

From: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

 At·tain, n. Attainment. [Obs.]
 

From: WordNet (r) 2.0

 attain
      v 1: to gain with effort; "she achieved her goal despite
           setbacks" [syn: achieve, accomplish, 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]
      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, 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,
         hit, arrive at, gain]