gain

CEFRB1

/ɡeɪn/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To get or increase something useful or valuable.

  2. 02

    noun

    An increase in amount, value, or advantage.

Examples

  • I don't think you can gain his ear.

  • They managed to gain access to secret files.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To come off winner or victor in; to be successful in; to obtain by competition.

  2. To have or receive advantage or profit; to acquire gain; to grow rich; to advance in interest, health, or happiness; to make progress.

  3. To acquire possession of.

More examples

In context

  • Looks like you’ve gained a new friend.

  • to gain a battle; to gain a case at law

  • No pain, no gain.

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

By studying hard, she hoped to blank a better understanding of physics.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English gayn, gain, gein (“profit, advantage”), from Old Norse gagn (“benefit, advantage, use”), from Proto-Germanic *gagną, *gaganą (“gain, profit", literally "return”), from Proto-Germanic *gagana (“back, against, in return”), a reduplication of Proto-Germanic *ga- (“with, together”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“next to, at, with, along”). Cognate with Icelandic gagn (“gain, advantage, use”), Swedish gagn (“benefit, profit”), Danish gavn (“gain, profit, success”), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌲𐌴𐌹𐌲𐌰𐌽 (gageigan, “to gain, profit”), Old Norse gegn (“ready”), dialectal Swedish gen (“useful, noteful”), Latin cum (“with”); see gain-, again, against. Compare also Middle English gaynen, geine...