His mother, then, is mortal, but his Sire He who obtains the
monarchy of heaven.
Milton.
2. To get hold of by effort; to gain possession of; to procure; to
acquire, in any way.
Some pray for riches; riches they obtain.
Dryden.
By guileful fair words peace may be obtained.
Shak.
It may be that I may obtain children by her.
Gen. xvi. 2.
Syn. -- To attain; gain; procure; acquire; win; earn. See Attain. -- To
Obtain, Get, Gain, Earn, Acquire. The idea of getting is common to all
these terms. We may, indeed, with only a slight change of sense,
substitute get for either of them; as, to get or to gain a prize; to
get or to obtain an employment; to get or to earn a living; to get or
to acquire a language. To gain is to get by striving; and as this is
often a part of our good fortune, the word gain is peculiarly
applicable to whatever comes to us fortuitously. Thus, we gain a
victory, we gain a cause, we gain an advantage, etc. To earn is to
deserve by labor or service; as, to earn good wages; to earn a triumph.
Unfortunately, one does not always get or obtain what he has earned. To
obtain implies desire for possession, and some effort directed to the
attainment of that which is not immediately within our reach. Whatever
we thus seek and get, we obtain, whether by our own exertions or those
of others; whether by good or bad means; whether permanently, or only
for a time. Thus, a man obtains an employment; he obtains an answer to
a letter, etc. To acquire is more limited and specific. We acquire what
comes to us gradually in the regular exercise of our abilities, while
we obtain what comes in any way, provided we desire it. Thus, we
acquire knowledge, property, honor, reputation, etc. What we acquire
becomes, to a great extent, permanently our own; as, to acquire a
language; to acquire habits of industry, etc.
Ob*tain", v. i. 1. To become held; to gain or have a firm footing; to
be recognized or established; to subsist; to become prevalent or
general; to prevail; as, the custom obtains of going to the seashore in
summer.
Sobriety hath by use obtained to signify temperance in drinking.
Jer. Taylor.
The Theodosian code, several hundred years after Justinian's time,
did obtain in the western parts of Europe.
Baker.