acquire
acquire — 動詞
1. to come to own a physical object, asset, or other thing — for example a painting
取得；獲得
經由努力或花費而擁有某物
to come to own a physical object, asset, or other thing — for example a painting, a piece of land, or a company — usually after some effort or expense.
Paloma acquired a small wooden cabin near the lake last summer.
Paloma 去年夏天在湖邊取得了一間小木屋。
acquire + concrete object (cabin)
The museum acquired three rare paintings from a private collector in Paris.
這間博物館從巴黎一位私人收藏家手中獲得了三幅珍貴畫作。
acquire + from + source
Over the years, Mr. Sven has acquired an impressive collection of old maps.
多年下來，田中先生已收藏了一批令人驚艷的古地圖。
The young couple finally acquired their first home after saving for a decade.
這對年輕夫妻存了十年錢，終於買下了第一棟房子。
These historical documents were acquired by the library through a generous donation.
這些歷史文件是圖書館透過一筆慷慨捐贈所取得的。
文法句型
acquire + noun (object/possession)
用法筆記
More formal than 'get' or 'buy'. Often used when the manner of obtaining is unspecified or worth glossing over, or when the object is valuable, rare, or difficult to come by.
常見錯誤
2. (of a company) to take ownership of another firm, a piece of real estate held as
收購；併購
公司買下另一家公司或股份
(of a company) to take ownership of another firm, a piece of real estate held as an investment, or a block of shares, typically as part of a corporate deal.
Last March, Sony acquired a small Taiwanese game studio for around fifty million dollars.
今年三月，Sony 以約五千萬美元收購了一家小型台灣遊戲工作室。
acquire + company + for + price
The bank plans to acquire a 30 percent stake in the airline by next year.
該銀行計劃在明年前取得這家航空公司百分之三十的股份。
acquire + percentage stake in
Investors cheered when the firm announced it would acquire its biggest rival.
公司宣布要併購最大競爭對手時，投資人歡欣鼓舞。
The startup was acquired by a Silicon Valley giant just three years after launching.
這家新創公司成立才三年，就被一家矽谷巨頭併購了。
文法句型
acquire + company / shares / stake
用法筆記
Standard term in business and finance reporting. Subject is typically a company or investor; the deal is usually announced or disclosed publicly. Distinguish from sense 1 by the corporate object (firm, stake, shares).
常見錯誤
3. to gain the legal permission to publish, sell, broadcast, or otherwise use a cre
取得版權
買下出版、播映或銷售的權利
to gain the legal permission to publish, sell, broadcast, or otherwise use a creative work — for example a novel, a song, or a film.
Netflix acquired the rights to broadcast the documentary in over fifty countries.
Netflix 取得了在五十多個國家播映這部紀錄片的版權。
acquire the rights + to + infinitive
A small London publisher acquired the rights to the novelist's complete works in 2019.
倫敦一家小型出版社於二○一九年取得了該小說家全部作品的出版權。
acquire the rights + to + noun
The studio paid a record sum to acquire the film rights to the bestselling thriller.
這家電影公司付出創紀錄的金額，買下這本暢銷驚悚小說的電影改編權。
Once Maria acquired the licence, she could legally sell prints of the photograph.
Maria 一拿到授權，就可以合法販售這張照片的印製品。
文法句型
acquire + the rights (to + something)
用法筆記
Object is almost always 'rights', 'licence', or a similar legal-permission noun. Often followed by 'to' + the work or activity covered. Common in publishing, film, and music journalism.
常見錯誤
4. to slowly build up an ability, habit, taste, or piece of knowledge through study
習得；養成
經由學習或經驗逐漸培養
to slowly build up an ability, habit, taste, or piece of knowledge through study, repeated experience, or daily exposure rather than being born with it.
Olu acquired his spoken Mandarin by chatting daily with neighbours in Taipei.
Olu 透過每天和台北的鄰居聊天，慢慢學會了說中文。
acquire + language (through exposure)
Children acquire a first language without formal lessons, just by listening and copying.
孩子不需要正式上課，只靠聽和模仿就能習得母語。
acquire + first language (linguistics term)
After two years on the trading floor, Quinn had acquired a sharp eye for risk.
在交易室待了兩年後，Quinn 已經培養出敏銳的風險嗅覺。
Living in Italy, the children quickly acquired a taste for strong espresso.
住在義大利之後，孩子們很快就愛上了濃郁的義式濃縮咖啡。
Once acquired during her years in Kyoto, Sophie's love of green tea never faded.
Sophie 在京都那幾年養成對綠茶的喜愛，從此再也沒有淡去。
文法句型
acquire + skill / knowledge / habit / language
用法筆記
Implies a gradual process, not a single event. Common objects include 'skill', 'knowledge', 'habit', 'taste', 'reputation', 'language'. Distinguish from sense 1: here the object is abstract (an ability or trait), not a thing you can hold.
常見錯誤
5. to come down with an illness or develop a medical problem during one's life, as
染上；罹患
出生後才感染或得到的疾病
to come down with an illness or develop a medical problem during one's life, as opposed to being born with it.
Many patients acquire infections during long stays in crowded hospital wards.
許多病人在擁擠的病房長期住院期間染上了感染。
collocation: acquire an infection
Her grandfather acquired hearing loss after years of working near loud machinery.
她的祖父因多年在大型機具旁工作，後來出現了聽力受損。
acquire + condition + after + cause
The virus is most often acquired through close contact with infected animals.
這種病毒最常透過接觸受感染的動物而感染上身。
Doctors warned that the bacteria can be easily acquired in unclean swimming pools.
醫生警告，在不乾淨的游泳池中很容易染上這種細菌。
- inherit
have a condition passed down genetically
文法句型
acquire + disease / infection / condition
用法筆記
Frequently passive in medical writing ('be acquired through/from'). Contrasts with 'congenital' or 'inherited' conditions. The adjective 'acquired' is itself a medical term, as in 'acquired immune deficiency syndrome'.