procure

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/prəˈkjʊr/
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A formal verb meaning to obtain something, secure or arrange a required result, or, in a narrow criminal-law sense, recruit someone for illegal sexual services.

Examples

  • The statute uses procure in a narrow criminal-law sense.
  • The law makes it illegal to procure a person for prostitution.
  • The chef tried to procure fresh saffron for the dish.
  • The indictment used procure to describe arranging illegal sexual services.
  • The museum hopes to procure the rare manuscript.

Similar words

acquire
secure
obtain
arrange for
arrange
find
secure
induce
facilitate
buy

Meanings

Obtain with effort

verb
business
formal
To get or obtain something, often through effort, planning, payment, or a formal process.

Usage

Use procure when get sounds too casual and the process involves effort, sourcing, purchase, permission, or official channels. It is common in business, government, logistics, and formal writing.

Examples

  • The museum hopes to procure the rare manuscript.
  • We need to procure spare parts before the repair can begin.
  • The charity helped procure medicine for the clinic.
  • The company used a broker to procure new equipment.
  • It took months to procure the correct permit.
  • The chef tried to procure fresh saffron for the dish.
  • The school managed to procure laptops for every student.

Common mistakes

Using procure for a simple everyday action can sound unnecessarily formal. The verb normally takes a direct object, so procure for a permit is wrong when the intended meaning is procure a permit.
IncorrectCorrect
We procured for a new laptop. We procured a new laptop.
She procured to get a permit. She procured a permit.
He bought procured food. He procured food.
The team procuremented supplies. The team procured supplies.

Similar words

Secure or arrange formally

verb
legal
formal
To secure, arrange, or bring about something required by a contract, policy, law, or formal obligation.

Usage

Use procure in legal and contractual writing when a party must secure a document, approval, insurance, attendance, consent, or compliance. In plain speech, get, arrange, or make sure is usually clearer.

Examples

  • The contractor must procure insurance before work starts.
  • The agreement requires the tenant to procure written consent.
  • The bank helped procure financing for the project.
  • The lawyer tried to procure the witness's attendance.
  • The policyholder must procure all required documents.
  • The order required the agency to procure compliance by Friday.
  • The developer failed to procure approval from the council.

Common mistakes

The legal sense can sound awkward if the subject is the document rather than the person or party responsible for securing it. Keep the grammar clear: someone procures consent, insurance, approval, or attendance.
IncorrectCorrect
The lease procures tenant to consent. The lease requires the tenant to procure consent.
The bank procured to us financing. The bank procured financing for us.
He procured that the witness arrives. He procured the witness's attendance.
The policy must procure documents by Monday. The policyholder must procure documents by Monday.

Similar words

Recruit for illegal sexual services

verb
legal
technical
In criminal-law contexts, to recruit, arrange, or obtain a person or client for prostitution or related illegal sexual services.

Usage

Use procure in this sense only when the legal context clearly supports it. Outside criminal-law discussion, the general sense obtain is much more common and less charged.

Examples

  • The law makes it illegal to procure a person for prostitution.
  • He was charged with attempting to procure clients for an illegal operation.
  • The statute uses procure in a narrow criminal-law sense.
  • The court considered whether the defendant tried to procure another person.
  • Police investigated allegations that the group helped procure victims.
  • In this context, procure does not simply mean buy.
  • The indictment used procure to describe arranging illegal sexual services.

Common mistakes

Assuming procure always means buy can miss the criminal-law meaning. This sense is narrow and should not be used casually for ordinary buying or arranging.
IncorrectCorrect
He procured a sandwich illegally. He procured a sandwich.
The statute says he purchased prostitution. The statute says he procured a person for prostitution.
She was procured with a person. She was procured by another person.
Procure always means buy. Procure can mean obtain, arrange, or recruit in a legal sense.

Similar words

Usage

Use the word when a formal process or effort matters. For ordinary everyday getting, get is clearer. For contracts and law, check whether procure, secure, obtain, or ensure best fits the obligation.

Common mistakes

Procure for a permit uses an extra preposition. The usual pattern is procure a permit, procure insurance, or procure consent.

Etymology

From Latin procurare, meaning to take care of, manage, or attend to, through Old French and Middle English. The modern senses keep the idea of taking steps to bring something about or obtain it.

FAQ

What does procure mean?

It means to obtain, secure, or arrange something, often through effort or a formal process.

Is procure formal?

Yes. Procure is more formal than get and is common in business, government, procurement, and law.

What is the past tense of procure?

The past tense is procured.

What is a synonym for procure?

Synonyms include obtain, acquire, get, secure, source, arrange, and provide.

Is procure the same as buy?

Not always. Buying can be one way to procure something, but procure can also mean obtain, secure, arrange, or bring about.

What does procure mean in law?

In legal writing, it can mean secure or arrange something required, and in some criminal-law contexts it can mean recruit or arrange a person for prostitution.

How do you use procure in a sentence?

For example: We need to procure spare parts before the repair can begin.

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