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gain¹ Definition

gain (gān)

noun

  1. an increase; addition; specif.,
    1. an increase in wealth, earnings, etc.; profit; winnings
    2. an increase in advantage; advantage; improvement
  2. the act of getting something; acquisition; accumulation
  3. Electronics
    1. an increase in signal strength when transmitted from one point to another: often expressed in decibels
    2. the ratio of the output current, voltage, or power of an amplifier, receiver, etc. to the respective input

Etymology: ME < OFr gaaigne < gaaignier: see gainthe

transitive verb

  1. to get by labor; earn to gain a livelihood
    1. to get by effort or merit, as in competition; win
    2. to cause to be directed toward oneself or itself; attract to gain one's interest
  2. to get as an increase, addition, profit, or advantage to gain ten pounds
  3. to make an increase in to gain speed
  4. to go faster by my watch gained two minutes
  5. to get to; arrive at; reach

Etymology: ME gainen, to profit, be of use < OFr gaaignier < Frank *waidanjan, to work, earn, akin to OHG weidenen, to pasture < weide, pasture < IE *witi-, a hunting after < base *wei-, to go, hunt > L via, way, vis, strength

intransitive verb

  1. to make progress; improve or advance, as in health, business, etc.
  2. to acquire wealth or profit
  3. to increase in weight; become heavier
  4. to be fast; said of a clock, etc.

gain¹ Idioms

gain on

  1. to draw nearer to (an opponent in a race, etc.)
  2. to make more progress than (a competitor)

gain over

to win over to one's side

gain² Definition

gain (gān)

noun

Carpentry a groove or mortise, as in a piece of wood, into which another piece can be fitted

Etymology: < ?

gain Synonyms

gain

n.

  1. The act of increasing

    addition, accrual, accumulation, accretion; see accumulation 1, increase 1.

  2. Excess of returns over expenditures

    receipts, earnings, winnings; see addition 2, profit 2.

gain Synonyms

gain

v.

  1. To increase

    augment, expand, enlarge; see grow 1, increase 1.

  2. To advance

    progress, overtake, move forward; see advance 1.

  3. To win

    get, cash in on, obtain, earn; see obtain 1, win 1.

  4. To achieve

    attain, realize, reach; see achieve 2, succeed 1. See syn. study at achieve, obtain.

gain Law Definition

n

The profit on a sale (the selling price minus costs).
capital gain
In tax law, the taxable profit realized from the sale or exchange of real property, stock, or other capital property.
gain Telecom Definition
An increase in signal power between two points, achieved by an active device or system such as an amplifier, which receives an attenuated input signal, applies controlled power to that signal, and outputs a signal that is a function of the input signal, but at a higher power level. Gain is the opposite of attenuation. The gain, or increase, in signal power is typically described in positive decibels (+dB). See also amplifier, attenuation, and dB.
gain Usage Examples

Object

  • insight: They have gained insights into safety issues from a software development angle.
  • understanding: The student will begin by gaining an understanding of the SEM.
  • access: Time taken to gain access in extreme cases can run into hours.
  • reputation: They gained a reputation for racism, partly due to some of the odious speakers they invited to their meetings.
  • experience: How might I gain useful experience for my future career?
  • qualification: They can be used to help you gain new qualifications or open the door to a whole new career.

Converse of object

  • realize: We consider that the requirement to distribute 95 per cent of rental income and realized gains is, however, unduly restrictive.

Preposition: on

  • disposal: Gains on the disposal of the property will be free of tax.

Adjective modifier

  • chargeable: Capital Gains Tax The annual exemption on an individual's chargeable gains for capital gains tax will increase to £ 7,100 from 6 April 1999.
  • solar: The coating can be customized to either increase or decrease the solar gains of the glazing, depending on the application.
  • short-term: That is fine for one-off remedies, sometimes badly needed, tho short-term efficiency gains are of course very valuable.
  • net: When the chiefs perceive that a net gain can be derived, they readily enter into an alliance with the state elite.
  • monetary: Companies should have their sights set on long-term business transformation rather than just using outsourcing as an operational tactic to achieve short-term monetary gain.

Modifies a noun

  • tax: There is no income tax, capital gains tax, VAT, sales or use tax or wealth tax.
  • confidence: They have helped me gain confidence, self esteem, focus.

Noun used with modifier

  • capital: There is no income tax, capital gains tax, VAT, sales or use tax or wealth tax.
  • weight: This is not a time to try to lose weight, or prevent weight gain.
  • efficiency: The Forward Looks show that councils expect to achieve around £ 1.2 billion of efficiency gains in 2005/06.
  • productivity: In some cases, productivity gains had allowed contracts to be delivered at the same quality of service while maintaining the price.

Preposition: in

  • popularity: The Catholic Charismatic movement has gained in popularity by emphasizing a similar visceral relationship to God.
gain Quotes

Our farmers round, well pleased with constant gain, Like other farmers, flourish and complain.

—Crabbe, George

Pesons le gain et la perte, en prenant croix que Dieu est. Estimons ces deux cas: si vous gagnez, vous gagnez tout; si vous perdez, vous ne perdez rien.Gagezdonc qu'il est, sans he¤  siter. Let us weigh up the gain and loss involved in calling heads that God exists. Let us assess thetwo cases: if you winyou win everything, if you lose you lose nothing.Do not hesitate then; wager that he does exist.

—Pascal, Blaise

As to marriage on the part of a man, my dear, Society requires that heshould retrieve his fortunes by marriage. Society requires that he should gain by marriage. Society requires that he should found a handsome establishment by marriage. Society does not see, otherwise, what he has to do with marriage. Bleak House

—Dickens, CharlesJohn Huffam

   When I survey the wondrous cross On which the prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.

—Watts, Isaac

Every individual†intends only his own gain, and he is in this as in many other cases led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention† By pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it. I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the publick good.

—Smith, Adam

For I say, this is death and the sole death, When a man's loss comes to him from his gain, Darkness from light, from knowledge ignorance, And lack of love from love made manifest.

—Browning, Robert

Hope has often caused the love of gain to ruin men.

—Sophocles

There is only the fight to recover what has been lost And found and lost again and again: and now, under conditions That seem unpropitious. But perhaps neither gain nor loss. For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business.

—Eliot,T(homas) S(tearns)

The point of equilibrium will be known by the criterion that an infinitely small amount of commodity exchanged in addition, at the same rate, will bring neither gain nor loss of utility.

—Jevons,William Stanley

No painöno gain.

—Anonymous

This is no war for domination or imperial aggrandisement or material gain† It is a war†to establish, on impregnable rocks, the rights of the individual and it is a war to establish and revive the stature of man.

—Churchill, Lord Randolph Henry Spencer

The impulse to acquisition, pursuit of gain, of money, of the greatest possible amount of money, has in itself nothing to dowith capitalism.Thisimpulse exists among waiters, physicians, coachmen, artists, prostitutes, dishonest officials, soldiers, nobles, crusaders, gamblers, and beggars.One may say that it has been common to all sorts and conditions of men at all times and in all cultures of the earth, wherever the objective possibility of it is or has been given.

—Weber, Max

Almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he does not possess, and to gain applause which he cannot keep.

—Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson

   The poet reminds men of their uniqueness and it is not necessary to possess the ultimate definition of this uniqueness. Even to speculate is a gain.

—Cousins, Norman

Ill is the weather that bringeth no gain.

—Dekker,Thomas

En perseguirme, Mundo, Que¤   interesas? En que¤   te ofendo, cuando so¤  lo intento poner bellezas en mi entendimiento y no mi entendimiento en las bellezas? World, in hounding me, what do you gain? How can it harm you if I choose, astutely, rather to stock my mind with things of beauty, than waste its stock on every beauty's claim?

—Cruz, SorJuana Ine¤  s de la

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

—Bible (NewTestament)

Browse dictionary entries near gain

  1. gaily
  2. gaillardia
  3. Gaillard Cut
  4. Gail
  5. gaijin
  6. gaiety
  7. Gaia hypothesis
  8. Gaia
  9. gahnite
  10. gagster
  1. gainer
  2. Gainesville
  3. gainful
  4. gainfully
  5. gainly
  6. gainsay
  7. Gainsborough
  8. 'gainst
  9. Gaiseric
  10. gait