buy

buy — verb

1. to give money to a shop, person, or company in order to take an item, service, o

1.動詞及物 / 不及物A1
釋義

to give money to a shop, person, or company in order to take an item, service, or right away with you.

例句

Maya bought a red umbrella at the corner shop on her way home.

buy + object + at + place

Marcus bought his daughter a small bicycle for her seventh birthday.

ditransitive: buy + somebody + something

同義詞
  • purchase

    more formal; common in receipts, contracts, and reports

  • get

    very informal; only clear from context that money is involved

  • pick up

    informal; suggests a quick or casual purchase

反義詞
  • sell

    to give an item in exchange for money

  • return

    to take a bought item back to the shop for a refund

文法句型

buy + something

buy + somebody + something

buy + something + for + somebody

buy + something + from + somebody

用法筆記

Past tense and past participle are both 'bought'. The thing paid is normally introduced by 'for' ('for ten dollars'); the seller is introduced by 'from'.

常見錯誤

❌I bought to my brother a watch.
✅I bought my brother a watch.' or 'I bought a watch for my brother.
💡never put 'to' before the receiving person.
❌She buyed a new phone yesterday.
✅She bought a new phone yesterday.
💡the past tense is irregular: 'bought', not 'buyed'.

2. to give money or a favour to a person, usually one in a position of power, in or

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to give money or a favour to a person, usually one in a position of power, in order to get them to act in a way that helps you and is often dishonest.

例句

The drug gang tried to buy several local police officers, but two of them refused.

buy + somebody (in a position of power)

Critics claimed the company had bought the inspector who signed off on the unsafe factory.

同義詞
  • bribe

    more direct and explicit; the standard word for this action

  • pay off

    very informal; often used in news reports about scandals

  • corrupt

    stronger; implies long-term moral damage, not a single payment

文法句型

buy + somebody

buy + somebody + off

用法筆記

Object is normally a person with authority or influence (a judge, official, witness, voter). Often appears in passive ('be bought') or negative ('can't be bought'). Distinct from sense 3, which specifically targets silence about a secret.

常見錯誤

❌They bought the mayor a lot of money.
✅They bought the mayor with a lot of money.' or 'They bribed the mayor.
💡for the bribe meaning, the cash goes after 'with', not as a second object.

3. to give money or some other thing to a person so that they will keep quiet about

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

to give money or some other thing to a person so that they will keep quiet about a secret you do not want made public.

例句

The film star tried to buy the photographer who had pictures of the hotel meeting.

buy + somebody (who holds a secret)

Marcus thought a generous cheque would buy his old assistant, but she went straight to the press.

同義詞
  • silence

    more direct; means stopping someone from speaking, by any method

  • hush up

    informal; focus is on covering up the story itself, not paying a person

  • pay off

    very informal; broader — covers any payment to make a problem go away

文法句型

buy + somebody

buy + somebody's + silence

用法筆記

Differs from sense 2 ('BRIBE') in that the goal is specifically silence about something already known, not getting someone to perform a dishonest act. Often paired with the noun 'silence' (also 'buy somebody's silence').

常見錯誤

❌They bought him to keep quiet about the affair.
✅They bought his silence about the affair.' or 'They paid him to keep quiet about the affair.
💡for the silence meaning, prefer 'buy somebody's silence' or rephrase with 'pay'.

4. to accept that a story, excuse, or claim is true, especially when it sounds unli

4.動詞及物B2
釋義

to accept that a story, excuse, or claim is true, especially when it sounds unlikely or you are doubtful.

例句

I don't buy the idea that he forgot his wallet for the fourth time this month.

buy + the idea / story (negative)

Will the jury really buy that Marcus was at the cinema when his car was at the scene?

buy + that-clause (in a question)

同義詞
  • believe

    neutral; works in any register, with or without doubt

  • swallow

    informal; stresses that the claim was hard to accept yet was accepted

  • fall for

    informal; suggests the listener was tricked into believing

反義詞
  • doubt

    to feel uncertain that something is true

  • reject

    to refuse to accept a claim or idea

文法句型

buy + something (story / excuse / explanation)

buy + that-clause

用法筆記

Most common in negative sentences ('I don't buy it') and questions ('Do you really buy that?'). Object is typically a story, excuse, claim, or that-clause — not a concrete object, which would trigger sense 1.

常見錯誤

❌I don't buy you.
✅I don't buy your story.' or 'I don't believe you.
💡you 'buy' a claim or excuse, not a person, in this sense.

5. (of an amount of money) to have a value high enough that it covers the cost of a

5.動詞及物C1
釋義

(of an amount of money) to have a value high enough that it covers the cost of a particular item or service.

例句

Twenty dollars won't buy you a decent meal in central Tokyo these days.

money + won't buy + somebody + something

A teacher's monthly salary barely buys a small flat on the edge of the city.

subject is a sum / salary

同義詞
  • afford

    person-subject opposite frame ('she can afford it' vs 'her salary buys it')

  • cover

    neutral; the money is enough to pay the cost

  • stretch to

    informal British; the amount is just barely enough

文法句型

money + buys + something

what + money + can / cannot + buy

用法筆記

Subject must be an amount of money, a salary, or a similar measure of wealth — not a person. Often appears in negative or 'cannot' patterns to make a point about the limits of money.

常見錯誤

❌He buys a small flat with his salary.' (when meaning: his salary is enough for a flat)
✅His salary buys a small flat.
💡to express what an amount is enough for, the money itself must be the subject.

6. to win a result, advantage, or quality by giving up or losing something else tha

6.動詞及物C1
釋義

to win a result, advantage, or quality by giving up or losing something else that was important to you.

例句

The country bought its independence with the lives of thousands of young soldiers.

buy + abstract goal + with + cost

Marcus bought a few quiet years in the countryside at the cost of his career in the city.

buy + something + at the cost of

同義詞
  • gain

    neutral; does not always imply a heavy price was paid

  • win

    stresses the result of effort or struggle

  • secure

    more formal; often used about agreements, peace, freedom

反義詞
  • lose

    the opposite outcome — not gaining, regardless of price

  • forfeit

    to lose something as a punishment for an error or wrong action

文法句型

buy + something + with + something

be bought + with + something

用法筆記

Object is normally an abstract gain (peace, freedom, victory, fame). The price is introduced by 'with', 'at the cost of', or 'by + -ing'. Often passive when the gain is the focus.

常見錯誤

❌They bought peace from a long war.
✅They bought peace with the lives of many soldiers.' or 'They bought peace at a great cost.
💡the price is introduced by 'with' or 'at the cost of', not 'from'.

buy — noun