attain
part of speech
verb (attain, attains, attained, attaining); noun attainment; adjective attainable
meaning for a pupil
1) (formal) To reach or achieve a goal, level or result after effort. tree →
2) (formal) To reach a certain age, size, height or amount. tree →
sense in the lessons
A formal word in school reports and exams («attain level 4», «attainment targets»). In stories and science, reaching a speed, height or age. Phrases: «attain a goal», «attain a grade», «attain a height of».
examples
- all the triliteral combinations, leaving sufficient space between two successive combinations for the addition of a new letter; then by adding an x at the beginning of each triliteral com- bination, we shall attain 10,648 quadriliterals beginning with an N. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →
- Canst thou attain unto the purpose of the Almighty? (Writings JOB.11.7, JPS 1917) tree →
- Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; too high, I cannot attain unto it. (Writings PSA.139.6, JPS 1917) tree →
- None that go unto her return, neither do they attain unto the paths of life; (Writings PRO.2.19, JPS 1917) tree →
- She worked hard to attain her goal. tree →
- The rocket attained a speed of 500 metres per second. tree →
- Most pupils attained the expected level. tree →
- The tree can attain a height of 30 metres. tree →
- He attained his black belt in karate. tree →
- The team attained first place. tree →
- I wish to attain the greatest of all happiness." tree →
note
Formal; everyday words: «reach», «get», «achieve». Regular verb. In maths, «attains a maximum» means reaches its biggest value.
In the corpora
- He was most honourable of the three; therefore he was made their captain; howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
- He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three.
- Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; too high, I cannot attain unto it.
- That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, and the man of understanding may attain unto wise counsels;
- None that go unto her return, neither do they attain unto the paths of life;
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «attain» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.