English Explanatory Dictionary

achieve

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To succeed in something, now especially in academic performance.
To carry out successfully; to accomplish.
To conclude, finish, especially successfully.
To obtain, or gain (a desired result, objective etc.), as the result of exertion; to succeed in gaining; to win.
To conclude, to turn out.
To obtain (a material thing).

Pronunciation

/əˈt͡ʃiːv/ en-us-achieve.ogg

Word forms

achieve achieves achieving achieved atchieve acheive

Etymology

From Middle English achieven, acheven, from Anglo-Norman achever, Old French achever, achiever et al., apparently from Late Latin *accapāre, 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.

Synonyms

conclude end finalize complete acquire catch earn gain get land reach score succeed win accomplish compass fulfill realize attain obtain get one's hands on

Antonyms

lose miss

Derived words

achievability achievable achievance achievement achiever outachieve overachieve reachieve superachieving underachieve

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.

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