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| gain [ gayn ] |
verb (past and past participle gained, present participle gain·ing, 3rd person present singular gains) |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive verb acquire something: to obtain something or the benefit of something through effort, skill, or merit
  gain recognition as an actor
gained access to heads of state
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2. transitive and intransitive verb become greater: to grow or increase or acquire more of something
She was steadily gaining in confidence.
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3. intransitive verb profit: to derive personal advantage from something
No one stands to gain from the deal.
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4. transitive verb earn something: to earn money or other compensation for work
gain a living
apply for an internship to help gain credits toward a degree
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5. intransitive verb get closer or farther away: to come closer to somebody or something pursued, or increase the distance from a pursuer
They are behind but they're gaining on us.
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6. transitive verb win something by competing: to win something in competition or conflict
gained second place in the dash
gain a decisive victory
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7. transitive and intransitive verb increase in or by something: to come to have more of something, or increase by a particular amount
The dollar had gained two points.
gain weight
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8. transitive and intransitive verb time run ahead of correct time: to run fast, or run a particular amount of time ahead of the correct time
(
refers to clocks or watches
)
My watch gains at least ten minutes every day.
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9. transitive verb reach place: to arrive at a place that it was hoped to reach
(
literary
)
once we had finally gained the shore
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noun (plural gains) |
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| Definition: |
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1. achievement: an advantage or improvement that has been earned or acquired through effort
despite the political gains of recent years
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2. amount increased: an increase or profit of a particular amount
saw a 12 point gain in the market
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3. benefit: financial profit or personal advantage
abused power for personal gain
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4. electrical engineering measure of increase in signal strength: a ratio of the output power to the input power of an amplifier that is more than one and indicates an increase in signal strength
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plural noun gains |
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| Definition: |
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acquisitions: something acquired, earned, or won, especially money
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| [15th century. < Old French gaignier< Germanic, "graze, hunt"] |
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| gain·a·ble adjective |
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