acquired

acquired — 動詞

1. To get something through your own effort or choice, so that it becomes something

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

取得；獲得

經由努力或選擇而得到

To get something through your own effort or choice, so that it becomes something you own, know, or can use — for example, buying a used guitar, gaining a new customer, or obtaining special equipment.

例句

Theo acquired an old guitar from a second-hand shop for very little money.

Theo 從一家二手店用很少的錢買到了一把舊吉他。

acquire + noun phrase (concrete object from a source)

The local library acquired several rare manuscripts at a charity auction.

當地圖書館在一場慈善拍賣會上取得了好幾份珍稀手稿。

同義詞
  • obtain

    more formal; suggests deliberate seeking (obtain a permit)

  • get

    more informal and general; works in everyday speech

  • gain

    emphasises increase or addition (gain experience)

反義詞
  • lose

    to no longer have something you once had

  • give up

    to voluntarily stop having or doing something

文法句型

acquire + noun phrase (concrete or abstract)

用法筆記

Object can be concrete (a house, a painting) or abstract (a reputation, a skill). This is the most general sense — use it when no more specific sense (business purchase, learning, disease) applies.

常見錯誤

❌I acquired a cold from my classmate.
✅I caught a cold from my classmate.
💡For common illnesses like colds, use 'catch' or 'get', not 'acquire'; sense 1 does not cover diseases.
❌She acquired the book from the library for free.
✅She borrowed the book from the library for free.
💡'Acquire' implies permanent possession; for temporary use, use 'borrow' or 'check out'.

2. To buy a company, a large property, or a significant financial share in a busine

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

收購

購買公司或大量資產

To buy a company, a large property, or a significant financial share in a business as part of a formal transaction between organisations.

例句

The Japanese bank acquired a majority stake in a Thai finance company.

這家日本銀行收購了一家泰國金融公司的過半股權。

acquire + stake in [company] (business finance)

Yusuf's investment firm acquired a chain of hotels along the coast of Vietnam.

Yusuf 的投資公司收購了越南沿海的一系列飯店。

同義詞
  • purchase

    also formal but slightly narrower — implies a straightforward money-for-asset exchange

  • buy out

    informal phrasal verb for purchasing someone's entire share

反義詞
  • sell

    to transfer ownership to another party in exchange for money

  • divest

    formal; to sell off a business or asset deliberately

文法句型

acquire + noun phrase (company/stake/subsidiary)

用法筆記

Very common in business and finance writing. Often used in the passive voice: '[company] was acquired by [buyer].' The subject is typically a corporation, investment group, or wealthy individual.

常見錯誤

❌I acquired a new phone for my business.
✅I bought a new phone for my business.
💡For small personal purchases, use 'buy'; 'acquire' in this sense is for formal, large-scale transactions.
❌The company was acquired by the government for tax violations.
✅The company was taken over by the government for tax violations.
💡'Seized' or 'taken over' is more accurate when ownership is taken by force, not purchased.

3. To legally purchase the permission to publish, distribute, broadcast, or exploit

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

取得權益

購買出版或經銷權

To legally purchase the permission to publish, distribute, broadcast, or exploit a creative work, a patent, or an author's body of work for commercial use.

例句

The publisher acquired the rights to Leila's debut novel before it was finished.

這家出版社在 Leila 的出道小說還沒寫完之前就取得了版權。

acquire + the rights to + [creative work]

A streaming platform acquired the global rights to the award-winning documentary.

某串流平台取得了這部獲獎紀錄片的全球播映權。

同義詞
  • license

    verb specifically for granting or obtaining formal permission

  • secure the rights to

    suggests the rights were competitive or hard to obtain

文法句型

acquire + the rights/license/patent + to + noun phrase

用法筆記

Subject is typically a publisher, studio, streaming service, or media company. The object is always an intellectual property right (rights, license, patent, copyright). Distinguish from sense 2: sense 3 buys permission to use something, not the thing itself.

常見錯誤

❌I acquired the movie rights to my friend's story idea.
✅My friend's studio acquired the movie rights to the novel.
💡Only companies or professional entities typically 'acquire rights' in this sense, not individuals casually.

4. To learn a language, develop a skill, or form a habit or preference over time th

4.動詞及物B1
釋義

習得

逐漸學會語言或技能

To learn a language, develop a skill, or form a habit or preference over time through repeated practice, exposure, or experience rather than through formal instruction alone.

例句

The children acquired fluent English after moving to Canada three years ago.

這幾個小孩搬到加拿大三年後，自然而然學會了流利的英文。

acquire + language (gradual learning through immersion)

Kai acquired a taste for spicy northern Thai food during his stay in Chiang Mai.

Kai 在清邁待了一段時間後，漸漸愛上了泰北的辛辣料理。

同義詞
  • learn

    more general and informal; can refer to both gradual and sudden learning

  • develop

    focuses on the process of growth rather than the endpoint

  • pick up

    informal; suggests learning casually without formal effort

反義詞
  • unlearn

    to forget or abandon a skill, habit, or belief

  • lose

    to stop having a skill or ability you once had

文法句型

acquire + noun phrase (language/skill/habit/taste)

用法筆記

Subject is usually a person. The object is a language, skill, habit, or taste that develops gradually. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 4 always implies a process of learning or adaptation over time, not a single transaction.

常見錯誤

❌She acquired German in one week.
✅She acquired basic German phrases over several months.
💡'Acquire' a skill implies gradual development, not instant mastery.
❌I acquired how to cook from my mother.
✅I acquired cooking skills by watching my mother.
💡'Acquire' takes a noun object (a skill, a language), not a clause starting with 'how to'.

5. To develop a disease, infection, or long-term medical condition that you did not

5.動詞及物B2
釋義

罹患

後天染上疾病

To develop a disease, infection, or long-term medical condition that you did not have from birth, typically as a result of exposure, ageing, or lifestyle factors.

例句

The patient acquired a serious lung infection after the emergency surgery.

這位病人在緊急手術後感染了嚴重的肺部疾病。

acquire + infection (medical context)

Tariq's grandfather acquired diabetes in his fifties and had to change his diet completely.

Tariq 的祖父五十多歲時罹患了糖尿病，從此必須徹底改變飲食。

同義詞
  • contract

    equally formal; more specific to catching infectious diseases

  • develop

    less formal; works for both diseases and conditions (develop cancer)

  • catch

    informal; used for infectious illnesses

反義詞
  • inherit

    to be born with a condition or trait passed through genes

  • prevent

    to stop a disease from developing in the first place

文法句型

acquire + noun phrase (disease/infection/condition/immunity)

用法筆記

Common in medical writing and formal health contexts. More formal than 'catch' or 'get'. Typically used for serious or chronic conditions rather than minor illnesses. Frequently passive in medical warnings: '[condition] is acquired through [route].'

常見錯誤

❌I acquired a cold from my sister.
✅I caught a cold from my sister.
💡For minor illnesses like colds or flu, 'catch' or 'get' is natural; 'acquire' sounds overly clinical.
❌He acquired a broken leg playing football.
✅He broke his leg playing football.
💡'Acquire' is not used for injuries; it is used for diseases and infections.

acquired — 形容詞