acquire

/ə-ˈkwī(-ə)r/

borrowed from Latin acquīrere, from ad- ad-quaerere "to seek, gain, obtain, enquire"; replacing earlier aquere, going back to Middle English aqweren, borrowed from Anglo-French acquerre, going back to Vulgar Latin *acquaerere, restructuring (by restoring the vocalism of quaerere) of acquīrere

verb

  1. to get as one's own:

  2. to come into possession or control of often by unspecified means

  3. to come to have as a new or added characteristic, trait, or ability (as by sustained effort or natural selection)

acquire property

idiom

  1. to be regarded by people generally (in some particular light)

He has acquired a reputation as a careful worker.