Procure

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /pɹəˈkjÊŠÉ™/
• US IPA: /pɹoʊˈkjʊɹ/, /pɹəˈkjʊɹ/
• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)

Origin

Borrowing from fro procurer, from Late Latin prōcūrāre, present active infinitive of prōcūrō ("I manage, administer"), from Latin prō ("on behalf of") with cūrō ("I care for").

Full definition of procure

Verb

1. (transitive) To acquire or obtain.
• Miltonif we procure not to ourselves more woe
• Orwell Animal Farm|6Later there would also be need for seeds and artificial manures, besides various tools and, finally, the machinery for the windmill. How these were to be procured, no one was able to imagine.
2. (transitive) To obtain a person as a prostitute for somebody else.
3. (transitive, criminal law) To induce or persuade someone to do something.
4. (obsolete) To contrive; to bring about; to effect; to cause.
• Robynson (More's Utopia)By all means possible they procure to have gold and silver among them in reproach.
• ShakespeareProceed, Solinus, to procure my fall.
5. (obsolete) To solicit; to entreat.
• SpenserThe famous Briton prince and faery knight, ...
  Of the fair Alma greatly were procured
  To make there longer sojourn and abode.
6. (obsolete) To cause to come; to bring; to attract.
• ShakespeareWhat unaccustomed cause procures her hither?

Synonyms

• (acquire) obtain
• (obtain a prostitute) buy, purchase

Related terms

• procurement
• procurer
• procuress