Achieve

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /əˈtʃiːv/
• Rhymes: -iːv

Alternative forms

• atchieve (obsolete)

Origin

From Anglo-Norman aschever, Middle French achever, achiever et al., apparently from Late Latin *accappāre, present active infinitive of *accappō, from ad ("to") + caput ("head") + -ō (verbal suffix), or alternatively a construction based on Old French chief ("head"). Compare Catalan, Occitan, Portuguese and Spanish acabar, French achever.

Full definition of achieve

Verb

1. (intransitive) To succeed in something, now especially in academic performance. from 14th c.
2. (transitive) To carry out successfully; to accomplish. from 14th c.
• I. TaylorSupposing faculties and powers to be the same, far more may be achieved in any line by the aid of a capital, invigorating motive than without it.
3. (obsolete, transitive) To conclude, finish, especially successfully. 14th-18th c.
• 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.1:Full many Countreyes they did overronne,
  From the uprising to the setting Sunne,
  And many hard adventures did atchieve ....
4. (transitive) To obtain, or gain (a desired result, objective etc.), as the result of exertion; to succeed in gaining; to win. from 14th c.
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 1, I was about to say that I had known the Celebrity from the time he wore kilts. But I see I will have to amend that, because he was not a celebrity then, nor, indeed, did he achieve fame until some time after I left New York for the West.
• 2013, January 22, Phil McNulty, Aston Villa 2-1 Bradford (3-4), Bradford may have lost on the night but they stubbornly protected a 3-1 first-leg advantage to emulate a feat last achieved by Rochdale in 1962.
• William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, II-vSome are born great, some achieve greatness.
• John MiltonThou hast achieved our liberty.
5. (obsolete, intransitive) To conclude, to turn out. 14th-16th c.
6. (transitive, now literary) To obtain (a material thing). from 15th c.
• Prior
7. Show all the spoils by valiant kings achieved.
• William Shakespeare, Othello, II-i
8. He hath achieved a maid
   That paragons description.

Synonyms

• accomplish, effect, fulfil, fulfill, complete, execute, perform, realize, obtain. See accomplish

Derived terms

• achievement
• achiever