RE: 'obtain' in the sense of 'succeed' is archaic

My copy of Webster's (Seventh Collegiate) defines "obtain" in this sense to
be "come into force or being."  It does not classify it as archaic.  This
definition accords with the usage found in the schemas specification.  

While I agree that intransitive "obtain" is slightly technical, it is hardly
unclear and it means exactly what needs to be expressed.  By contrast, I
would find many of the sentances in the specification more confusing if the
word "obtain" were simply replaced by "succeed".

Received on Tuesday, 30 May 2000 15:39:45 UTC