attain

To come to or reach (a place) by motion or progression.transitive

• Canaan he novv attains, I ſee his Tents / Pitcht about Sechem, and the neighbouring Plaine / Of Moreh; […]
• Now had they almost attained / The palace portal.

To arrive at (a certain age or time, condition or state, etc.); to reach.figurativelytransitive

• Night hangs vpon mine eyes, my Bones vvould reſt, / That have but labour'd, to attaine this houre.
• It has also been aſſerted, by ſome naturaliſts, that men do not attain their full grovvth and ſtrength till thirty; but that vvomen arrive at maturity by tvventy.

To gain (a desired result or other objective) through effort; to accomplish, to achieve.figurativelytransitive

• To attain such a high level of proficiency requires hours of practice each day.

To gain possession of (something tangible or intangible) through effort; to acquire, to obtain.archaicfigurativelytransitive

• [T]hey reported their aduiſe to the kyng exortyng hym to prouyde for his force and ſtrength of men of warre⸝ to atteyne therby the towne of Berwike […]
• Yet notvvithſtanding, as Thoſe that firſt bring Honour into their Family, are commonly more vvorthy, then moſt that ſucceed: So the firſt Preſident (if it be good) is ſeldome attained by Imitation.

To reach (someone) after being behind them.obsoletetransitive

• The Earle finding the Caſtle freed, and the Enemie retired, purſued vvith all celeritie into Scotland, hoping to haue ouer-taken the Scottiſh King, and to haue giuen him Battaile. But not attaining him in time, ſate dovvne before the Caſtle

To find out (information, knowledge, etc.); to ascertain, to get at.figurativelyobsoletetransitive

• [I]t pleaſeth God to diſcouer certayne things to his ſeruantes after this maner at the fyrſte ſpringing vp of the Goſpell: of whiche thyng we may now atteyne manifeſt knowledge by his worde.
• And yet Maſter [William] Camden, ſometimes acknovvledgeth, ſometimes denieth him for an Engliſh Earle. Not that I accuſe him as inconſtant to himſelf, but ſuſpect my ſelf not vvell attaining his meaning therein.

Often followed by to.; To come to or reach a place by motion or progression; to reach.archaicintransitive

• For, scarce a spear's length from his haunch, / Vindictive toiled the blood-hounds staunch; / Nor nearer might the dogs attain, / Nor farther might the quarry strain.

Often followed by to.; To arrive at a certain condition or state, etc.figurativelyintransitive

• You may not, perhaps, live to see your trees attain to the dignity of timber—I, nevertheless, approve of your planting, and the disinterested spirit that prompts you to it.

Often followed by to.; To gain possession of something tangible or intangible through effort.figurativelyintransitive

• Such knowlege is to wonderfull ⁊ excellẽt [excellent] for me, I can not atteyne vnto it.
• Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I can not attaine vnto it.

Often followed by to.; To come to or reach a position without moving from one place to another.intransitiveobsolete

• Now then, art thou afrayd leaſt God who careth for all things without care, moueth them without touching them, and atteyneth to them without putting himſelf foorth, is not able to wéeld theſe lower things without defyling himſelf by them?

Synonym of attainment.; An act of arriving at or reaching; an act of obtaining by effort.archaic

• —A gulf of years then severed the twain; / Till he heard—a painter of high attain— / She was dying on her domain.

Synonym of attainment.; That which is obtained by effort.archaic

• Even Crovvns and Diadems, the moſt ſplendid parts of terrene attains; are akin to that, vvhich to day is in the field, and to morrovv is cut dovvn, and vvither'd: […]