procure

pro·cure | \ prə-ˈkyu̇r

, prō- \

procured; procuring

Definition of procure

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 procuring …— Jacqueline Martis

Other Words from procure Synonyms & Antonyms Distinctive Meanings of Procure More Example Sentences Learn More about procure

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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 Of those, 760 were related to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid procured seemingly easily in the streets. — Sujata Srinivasan, courant.com, "Opioid backlash leaves some to struggle with chronic pain as physicians write fewer prescriptions," 13 Nov. 2019 Chris Curry, Todd Marix and Estee Ibáñez of JLL marketed the property on behalf of a joint venture between WillMax Multi-family Investors and Thackeray Partners and procured the buyer. — Katherine Feser, Houston Chronicle, "Real estate transactions: Apartment investors target Houston," 8 Nov. 2019 The real argument with the United States would be over how the NHS procures medicines from private drug companies. — Luke Mcgee, CNN, "The UK will never get the US trade deal it wants," 6 Nov. 2019 Lakewood City Planner Dave Baas said the modular tables were procured through NOACA’s Street Supplies program, which is designed to be re-used at other pilot locations in the future. — John Benson, cleveland, "Lakewood targets Marlowe Avenue speeders with new speed tables," 28 Oct. 2019 Lexington Brewing Because the company’s beer is sold across 32 states, procuring the right quantity of some ingredients can be a challenge. — John Kell, Fortune, "Craft Breweries Are Going Hyper-Local to Source Ingredients," 21 Sep. 2019 Under the 2008 non-prosecution agreement, Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges in Florida of soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution. — Washington Post, "The Latest: House members request briefing on Epstein deal," 11 July 2019 But the lawsuit was filed preemptively, citing concerns that the panel could use the TRUST Act to try to procure Trump’s state returns. — BostonGlobe.com, "A federal judge on Monday dismissed President Trump’s lawsuit against New York officials that was aimed at preventing the release of his tax returns.," 12 Nov. 2019 The presenters estimated that the biggest fiscal impact would be the investment in professional learning for staff, procuring more devices, and paying fees for subscriptions to the data dashboards, Learning Management System and content providers. — Catalina Righter, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Carroll school system unveils instructional technology plan — going beyond just buying devices," 28 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'procure.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

29 Nov 2019

Cite this Entry

“Procure.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/procurable. Accessed 5 December 2019.

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More Definitions for procure

procure

verb