See Also: procure(medicine)
Procure(money)
procure(dictionary)
procure(dictionary)

procure (iou)



procure verb. ME.
[Old & mod. French procurer from Latin procurare take care of, attend to, manage, formed as PRO-1 + curare look after.]
I. verb intrans. Endeavour, labour, use means, (to do). Also foll. by for or to a thing. ME-E17.
verb trans. Contrive (an action or proceeding); try to bring about (esp. something bad). ME-L17.
verb trans. Bring about, esp. by care or with effort; cause to be done; arrange that. Now rare. ME.
Smollett This second sneer procured another laugh against him. W. D. Howells An ingenious lover procured his..rival to be arrested for lunacy. R. Bridges Could you procure that I should speak with her?
b. Manage (to do). M16-L17.
verb trans. Obtain, esp. by care or with effort; gain, acquire, get. ME.
A. John We..procured the services of a..lad to convey our baggage by train. A. J. Ayer They procured his election to the secret society.
b. verb intrans. & trans. Act as a procurer; obtain (women) for prostitution. E17.
verb trans. Prevail on or persuade (a person) to do. Now Scot. exc. Law. ME.
b. Bribe, suborn. LME-E17.
c. Prevail on (a person) to come; bring, lead. L16-E17.
Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet What unaccustom'd cause procures her hither?
verb trans. Try to induce; urge. M-L16.
II. verb intrans. Act as a procurator or legal agent; fig. plead, make supplication. LME-M17.
III. verb intrans. Proceed, advance. rare. L15-L16.
procurative adjective tending to produce something; productive of: M17.
procurement noun (a) the action or an act of causing or arranging something; instigation; (b) acquisition; an instance of this; spec. the action or occupation of procuring military equipment and supplies: ME.
procurer noun [Anglo-Norman procurour, Old French procureur from Latin PROCURATOR] (a) a procurator; (b) (now rare) a promoter, an instigator, (of); (c) a person who obtains something; spec. one who obtains women for prostitution, a pimp: LME.
procuress noun a female procurer, spec. a bawd LME.