Pertain vs Attain - What's the difference?

In intransitive terms the difference between pertain and attain

is that pertain is to relate, to refer, be relevant to while attain is to come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.; to reach.

pertain

English

Verb

(en verb)

to belong

to relate, to refer, be relevant to

Usage notes

* In all the above senses, pertain' is followed by '''to''' (or formerly by '''unto''', as in ''The King James Version of The Bible'' and in the plays of Shakespeare, although ' to is used in these works as well).

Quotations

(relate ): * 1989 , Sort out any booklets or manuals that pertain to the heating system or any other fixture that you are leaving behind. — One's company , Underwood, Lynn, Southampton: Ashford.

Synonyms

* appertain

Antonyms

* be irrelevant

Anagrams

* * *

attain

English

Verb

(en verb)

To accomplish; to achieve.

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

To get at the knowledge of; to ascertain.

* Fuller

not well attaining his meaning

To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at.

* Milton

Canaan he now attains .

* Bible, Psalms cxxxix. 6

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

To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.; to reach.

* Bible, Acts xxvii. 12

if by any means they might attain to Phenice

* Sir Walter Scott

Nor nearer might the dogs attain .

* Cowper

to see your trees attain to the dignity of timber

* J. R. Green

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

To reach in excellence or degree; to equal.

(obsolete) To overtake.

(Francis Bacon)