procure

verb

pro·​cure prə-ˈkyu̇r How to pronounce procure (audio)
prō-
procured; procuring
1
transitive : to get possession of (something) : to obtain (something) by particular care and effort
procure a loan
She had managed to procure a hat shaped like a life-size lion's head, which was perched precariously on her head.J. K. Rowling
2
transitive : to bring about or achieve (something) by care and effort
was unable to procure the prisoner's release
3
transitive + intransitive : to obtain (someone) to be employed for sex (as for an individual or in a house of prostitution)
… accused of acting as a "madam" and "procuring girls" for wealthy sex offender Epstein—claims that she strongly denies.The New York Post
No one has been prosecuted … for pimping or procuringJacqueline Martis
procurable adjective

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Distinctive Meanings of Procure

Procure, like many other English words, has a split personality. On the one hand, it may carry a perfectly benign meaning, such as "to obtain" (“she procured supplies”) or "to bring about" (“the settlement was successfully procured”). On the other hand, it has long been used in the specific sense of obtaining someone for, or bringing about, sexually promiscuous purposes. In this regard it is similar to the word pander, which entered the English language with the innocent meaning “a go-between in love intrigues” (the word comes from the name Pandare, a character in Chaucer’s poem Troilus and Criseyde who facilitates the affair between the titular characters), and soon after took on the meaning “pimp.”

Examples of procure in a Sentence

It was at that encounter in Pakistan that Faris was put in charge of procuring acetylene torches to slice suspension cables, as well as torque tools to bend portions of train track. Daniel Eisenberg, Time, 30 June 2003
He was stationed down in South Carolina about a year when he became engaged to an Irish Catholic girl whose father, a marine major and a one-time Purdue football coach, had procured him the cushy job as drill instructor in order to keep him at Parris Island to play ball. Philip Roth, American Pastoral, 1997
Unlike an agent, whose chief task is to procure acting roles and handle the legal negotiations of an actor's contract, a personal manager's influence is more pervasive … Nikki Grimes, Essence, March 1995
Recent Examples on the Web Last March, Air Force leaders told a congressional hearing that there were no plans to procure ARRWs for combat use. Brad Lendon, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024 In November, Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower ruled that Blackstock had indeed procured a number of deals for Clarkson, including her lucrative role as a judge on The Voice, that should have been handled by her talent agents at Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Bill Donahue, Billboard, 14 Mar. 2024 Meta aims to procure 350,000 of the specialized computer chips — called GPUs — necessary to run gargantuan calculations on AI models. Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024 Law enforcement could procure that footage as part of an investigation, and a lawyer could seek it as part of a lawsuit or a state agency overseeing the program could request the data. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 These offers are typically made after the kidney has been procured, so that accurate anatomy and biopsy data can be included. Joshua Mezrich, STAT, 2 Mar. 2024 Collaboration is also often overlooked, with only 3% of companies prioritizing pre-existing partnerships when procuring GenAI. Sylvain Duranton, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 Man infiltrates villain’s world with intent on procuring a pound (or two, or 50) of flesh. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2024 The only thing more important than procuring quality spices is knowing how to keep them fresh. Carly Westerfield, Bon Appétit, 9 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'procure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French procurer, from Late Latin procurare, from Latin, to take care of, from pro- for + cura care

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of procure was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near procure

Cite this Entry

“Procure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/procure. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

procure

verb
pro·​cure prə-ˈkyu̇(ə)r How to pronounce procure (audio)
procured; procuring
1
: to get possession of
managed to procure tickets to the big game
2
: bring about, achieve
procured an audience with the pope
procurable adjective
procurement
-ˈkyu̇(ə)r-mənt
noun

Legal Definition

procure

transitive verb
pro·​cure prə-ˈkyu̇r How to pronounce procure (audio)
procured; procuring
: to obtain, induce, or cause to take place
procurable adjective
procurer noun

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