From Middle English byen, biggen, buggen, from Old English bycġan (“to buy, pay for, acquire, redeem, ransom, procure, get done, sell”), from Proto-Germanic *bugjaną (“to buy”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *bʰūgʰ- (“to bend”), or from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeugʰ- (“to take away, deliver”). Cognate with Scots by (“to buy, purchase”), obsolete Dutch beugen (“to buy”), Old Saxon buggian, buggean (“to buy”), Old Norse byggja (“to procure a wife, lend at interest, let out”), Gothic ?????? (bugjan, “to buy”). The spelling with “u” is from the Southwest, while the pronunciation with /aɪ/ is from the East Midlands.
buy (third-person singular simple present buys, present participle buying, simple past bought, past participle bought or (rare, dialectal) boughten)
- (transitive) To obtain (something) in exchange for money or goods
- (transitive) To obtain by some sacrifice.
- (transitive) To bribe.
- (transitive) To be equivalent to in value.
- (transitive, informal) to accept as true; to believe
- (intransitive) To make a purchase or purchases, to treat (for a meal)
- (poker slang, transitive) To make a bluff, usually a large one.
buy (plural buys)
- Something which is bought; a purchase.