PROCURE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does procure mean? 

• PROCURE (verb)
  The verb PROCURE has 2 senses:

1. get by special effort

2. arrange for sexual partners for others

  Familiarity information: PROCURE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PROCURE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they procure    ... he / she / it procures   
Past simple: procured   
Past participle: procured   
-ing form: procuring   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Get by special effort

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

procure; secure

Context example:

He procured extra cigarettes even though they were rationed

Hypernyms (to "procure" is one way to...):

obtain (come into possession of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "procure"):

suborn (procure (false testimony or perjury))

copyright (secure a copyright on a written work)

patent (obtain a patent for)

engage; enlist (hire for work or assistance)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something from somebody

Derivation:

procural; procurance; procurement (the act of getting possession of something)

procurer (someone who obtains or acquires)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Arrange for sexual partners for others

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

pander; pimp; procure

Hypernyms (to "procure" is one way to...):

cater; ply; provide; supply (give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

procurer (someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce))

 Context examples 

I requested his advice concerning the books I ought to procure.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

And Lucy perhaps at first might think only of procuring his good offices in my favour.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

He could not be satisfied without a promise—would not she give him her influence in procuring it?

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

When my term was over I set myself to get the diary and letters which, if sent to the Russian government, would procure my friend’s release.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Either his going had been again delayed, or he had yet procured no opportunity of seeing Miss Crawford alone, or he was too happy for letter-writing!

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

People eat, therefore they must procure the wherewithal.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

At length, however, our kind friend procured the wished-for direction.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

"Come," he said at last, "tell me of London and of the house which you have procured for me."

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

He had little to bite and to break, and once when great dearth fell on the land, he could no longer procure even daily bread.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

It was only by the aid of a man whom the landlord procured, and of Fox’s valet, who had been sent expressly across, that his toilet was at last performed.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)