pur·chase

(pûr′chĭs)

tr.v. pur·chased, pur·chas·ing, pur·chas·es

1. To obtain in exchange for money or its equivalent; buy.

2. To acquire by effort; earn: purchased the victory with the loss of many lives.

3. To pull or haul by means of a mechanical device, such as a winch.

a. The act or an instance of buying: the sudden purchase of a car.

b. Something bought: That hat was a wise purchase.

a. A hold or position that allows the application of power, as in moving something: got a purchase for her foot and climbed up.

b. A device, such as a pulley, used to obtain mechanical advantage.

c. A means or advantage that allows the increase of power or influence.

[Middle English purchasen, to pursue, purchase, from Old French purchacier : pur-, forth (from Latin prō-; see per in Indo-European roots) + chacier, to chase; see chase¹.]

pur′chas·er n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

purchasing

(ˈpɜːtʃɪsɪŋ)

1. (Industrial Relations & HR Terms)

a. the process of buying goods or products within an organization

b. (as modifier): a purchasing manager.

2. (Industrial Relations & HR Terms) (as modifier): a purchasing manager.

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

purchasing - the act of buying; "buying and selling fill their days"; "shrewd purchasing requires considerable knowledge"

buying

purchase - the acquisition of something for payment; "they closed the purchase with a handshake"

shopping - searching for or buying goods or services; "went shopping for a reliable plumber"; "does her shopping at the mall rather than down town"

catalog buying, mail-order buying - buying goods to be shipped through the mail

viatication, viaticus - purchasing insurance policies for cash from terminally ill policy holders

Translations

purchasing

[ˈpɜːtʃɪsɪŋ]

A. N → compra f

B. CPD purchasing department N → departamento m de compras
purchasing officer N → agente mf de compra
purchasing power N [of person, currency] → poder m adquisitivo

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

purchasing

purchasing agent

n (Comm) → Einkäufer(in) m(f)

purchasing association

n (Comm) → Einkaufsgenossenschaft f

purchasing power

n → Kaufkraft f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

The young woman was placed in one of the waiting-rooms of the station, whilst Passepartout was charged with purchasing for her various articles of toilet, a dress, shawl, and some furs; for which his master gave him unlimited credit.

View in context

The fifth, that it beats down the price of land; for the employment of money, is chiefly either merchandizing or purchasing; and usury waylays both.

View in context

Adrienne had now the means of purchasing food, but, ignorant how much might be demanded on behalf of the approaching ceremony, she religiously adhered to the use of dry bread.

View in context

A mania for purchasing spread itself throughout the several bands--munitions for war, for hunting, for gallantry, were seized upon with equal avidity--rifles, hunting knives, traps, scarlet cloth, red blankets, garish beads, and glittering trinkets, were bought at any price, and scores run up without any thought how they were ever to be rubbed off.

View in context

Among the almost three-quarters of total respondents who purchased gas at a c-store in the past month, more than one-half (53.1 percent) report purchasing in-store merchandise along with gas at least some of the time.

Study Reveals Why and How Consumers Shop C-stores

SL Green began its electric purchasing strategy in 2003.

SL Green electricity purchasing program a model for industry

Eighty percent of the firms facing succession issues in the next five years have failed to create a plan, even if they have partners in place who are capable of purchasing the retiring partner's interest and continuing to operate the firm, according to a recent AICPA survey.

The insider: well planned and structured agreement key to successful internal succession

Consortia processes can vary, but a constant for many of these groups is procurement finding and buying much needed products for a super (or at least good) price, avoiding aggravation, and offering a healthy and strong communication link among the various administrators, particularly purchasing agents, at institutions of higher ed.

Shared pain & payoffs: managing relationships within a buying consortium

Tehseen Ali, President and CEO of Verian Technologies, offers the following tips for improving the linkage between purchasing and accounts payables (AP) departments:

Getting accounts payable and purchasing in sync

Everywhere Mirinda Jackson turns she sees minority small business owners who don't realize the value of accepting purchasing cards from their customers, mainly the federal government and large corporations.

Getting paid faster: government suppliers receive quicker payments with purchasing cards

Clarifies government responsibilities for conducting reviews of contractor purchasing systems; updates a reference to a FAR clause on contracts for commercial items; and relocates to PGI, examples of weaknesses in a contractor's purchasing system that may indicate the need for a review.

Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS) change notice 20050412

(1) All named Respondents in this matter, including Carl and Stephen Thomas, were members of a group that coordinated to buy shares in First Western Bank (hereinafter referred to collectively as "Purchasing Group" members).

Final enforcement decisions issued by the Board of Governors