different between execute vs attain

English

Etymology

From Old French executer (French exécuter), from Latin exsecutus, past participle of exsequor, from ex- (“out”) + sequor (“to follow”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??ks??kju?t/

Verb

execute (third-person singular simple present executes, present participle executing, simple past and past participle executed)

1. (transitive) To kill as punishment for capital crimes.

2. (transitive) To carry out; to put into effect.
3. (transitive) To perform.

4. (transitive, law) To carry out, to perform an act; to put into effect or cause to become legally binding or valid (as a contract) by so doing.

5. (transitive, computing) To start, launch or run

   Synonyms: start, launch, run, open

6. (intransitive, computing) To run, usually successfully.

Related terms

Translations

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ek.se?ku?.te/, [?ks???ku?t??]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ek.se?ku.te/, [??z??ku?t??]

Participle

exec?te

1. vocative masculine singular of exec?tus

Portuguese

Verb

execute

1. first-person singular (eu) present subjunctive of executar
2. third-person singular (ele and ela, also used with você and others) present subjunctive of executar
3. third-person singular (você) affirmative imperative of executar
4. third-person singular (você) negative imperative of executar

Spanish

Verb

execute

1. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of executar.
2. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of executar.
3. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of executar.
4. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of executar.

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman ataindre, from Old French, from Latin atting?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??te?n/
• Rhymes: -e?n

Verb

attain (third-person singular simple present attains, present participle attaining, simple past and past participle attained)

1. (transitive) To gain (an object or desired result).

   Synonyms: accomplish, achieve, get

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

   • c. 1595, William Shakespeare, Richard II, Act II, Scene 3,^[1]

     Lord Ross. Your presence makes us rich, most noble lord.

     Lord Willoughby. And far surmounts our labour to attain it.

   • 1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair, London: Bradbury and Evans, Chapter 63, p. 572,^[2]

     […] he will stick at no falsehood, or hesitate at no crime, to attain his ends.

   • 1885, W. S. Gilbert, The Mikado, London: Chappell & Co., Act I, p. 6,^[3]

     […] that’s the highest rank a citizen can attain!

   • 1937, George Orwell, The Road to Wigan Pier, New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1958, Part 1, Chapter 5, p. 82,^[4]

     […] solitude is never easy to attain in a working-class home

   • 2007, Mohsin Hamid, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Orlando: Harcourt, Chapter 11, p. 157,^[5]

     Where else could I […] hope to attain such an impressive income?

2. (transitive) To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at (a place, time, state, etc.).
   • c. 1599, William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Act V, Scene 5,^[6]

     […] my bones would rest,

     That have but labour’d to attain this hour.

   • 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 10, line 1026,^[7]

     Canaan he now attains,

   • 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, London: J. Johnson, Part 1, Chapter 4, p. 150,^[8]

     It has also been asserted, by some naturalists, that men do not attain their full growth and strength till thirty; but that women arrive at maturity by twenty.

   • 1818, Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, London: Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, Volume 1, Letter 3,^[9]

     the southern gales […] blow us speedily towards those shores which I so ardently desire to attain

3. (intransitive) To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.

   Synonyms: get, reach

   • 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Psalm 139.6,^[10]

     Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I can not attain unto it.

   • 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Acts 27.12,^[11]

     if by any means they might attain to Phenice

   • 1782, William Cowper, letter to Joseph Hill dated 11 November, 1782, in Private Correspondence of William Cowper, London: Henry Colburn, 1824, Volume 1, p. 222,^[12]

     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.

   • 1810, Walter Scott, The Lady of the Lake, Edinburgh: John Ballantyne, Canto 1, stanza 7, p. 10,^[13]

     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.

   • 1874, John Richard Green, A Short History of the English People, London: Macmillan, Chapter 2, Section 6, p. 90,^[14]

     Few boroughs had as yet attained to power such as this,

4. (transitive, obsolete) To get at the knowledge of.

   Synonym: ascertain

   • 1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-History of Britain, London: John Williams, Century 13, section 2, p. ,^[15]

     […] Master Camden, sometimes acknowledgeth, sometimes denieth him for an English Earle. Not that I accuse him as inconstant to himself, but suspect my self not well attaining his meaning therein.

5. (transitive, obsolete) To reach in excellence or degree.

   Synonym: equal

   • 1625, Francis Bacon, Essays, “Of Innovations,” p. 139,^[16]

     Yet notwithstanding as Those that first bring Honour into their Family, are commonly more worthy, then most that succeed: So the first President (if it be good) is seldome attained by Imitation.

6. (transitive, obsolete) To reach a person after being behind them.

   Synonyms: catch up with, overtake

   • 1622, Francis Bacon, History of the Reign of King Henry VII, London, 1629, p. 174,^[17]

     The Earle finding […] the enemie retired, pursued with 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 downe before the Castle of Aton […] which in a small time hee tooke.

Derived terms

• attainable

Related terms

• attainder
• attainment
• attaint
• attainture

Translations

Anagrams

• Anitta