ATTAIN

reach, hit, attain

(verb) reach a point in time, or a certain state or level; “The thermometer hit 100 degrees”; “This car can reach a speed of 140 miles per hour”

reach, make, attain, hit, arrive at, gain

(verb) reach a destination, either real or abstract; “We hit Detroit by noon”; “The water reached the doorstep”; “We barely made it to the finish line”; “I have to hit the MAC machine before the weekend starts”

achieve, accomplish, attain, reach

(verb) to gain with effort; “she achieved her goal despite setbacks”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Verb

attain (third-person singular simple present attains, present participle attaining, simple past and past participle attained)

(transitive) To gain (an object or desired result).

Synonyms: accomplish, achieve, get

(transitive) To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at (a place, time, state, etc.).

(intransitive) To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.

Synonyms: get, reach

(transitive, obsolete) To get at the knowledge of.

Synonym: ascertain

(transitive, obsolete) To reach in excellence or degree.

Synonym: equal

(transitive, obsolete) To reach a person after being behind them.

Synonyms: catch up with, overtake

Anagrams

• Anitta

Source: Wiktionary

At*tain", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attained; p. pr. & vb. n. Attaining.] Etym: [Of. atteinen, atteignen, , OF. ateindre, ataindre, F. atteindre, fr. L. attingere; ad + tangere to touch, reach. See Tangent, and cf. Attinge, Attaint.]

1. To achieve or accomplish, that is, to reach by efforts; to gain; to compass; as, to attain rest. Is he wise who hopes to attain the end without the means Abp. Tillotson.

2. To gain or obtain possession of; to acquire. [Obs. with a material object.] Chaucer.

3. To get at the knowledge of; to ascertain. [Obs.] Not well attaining his meaning. Fuller.

4. To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at. "Canaan he now attains." Milton.

5. To overtake. [Obs.] Bacon.

6. To reach in excellence or degree; to equal.

Syn.

– To Attain, Obtain, Procure. Attain always implies an effort toward an object. Hence it is not synonymous with obtain and procure, which do not necessarily imply such effort or motion. We procure or obtain a thing by purchase or loan, and we obtain by inheritance, but we do not attain it by such means.

At*tain", v. i.

1. To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.; to reach. If by any means they might attain to Phenice. Acts xxvii. 12. Nor nearer might the dogs attain. Sir W. Scott. To see your trees attain to the dignity of timber. Cowper. Few boroughs had as yet attained to power such as this. J. R. Green.

2. To come or arrive, by an effort of mind. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I can not attain unto it. Ps. cxxxix. 6.

At*tain", n.

Definition: Attainment. [Obs.]

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition