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earn definition

earn (ʉrn)

transitive verb

  1. to receive (salary, wages, etc.) for one's labor or service
  2. to get or deserve as a result of something one has done
  3. to gain (interest, etc.) as profit

Etymology: ME ernen < OE earnian, to gain, labor for, lit., to harvest, akin to Ger ernte, harvest, OHG arnōn, to bring to harvest < IE base *es-en, summer, harvest time

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms earn idiom

earn Synonyms

earn

v.

  1. To deserve as reward

    win, merit, gain; see deserve.

  2. To receive in payment

    obtain, make, collect, get, receive, procure, realize, obtain a return, make money by, be paid, acquire, profit, net, gross, clear, gain, score, draw, gather, secure, derive, reap, gain as due return, get as one's due, gain by labor, gain by service, take home, bring home, bring in, turn a penny, be the breadwinner, pick up*, pull down*, bring home the bacon*, make a fast buck*, coin money*, make the pot boil*, scrape together*, pocket*, bag*. *

    Antonyms spend*, consume*, exhaust.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

earn Usage Examples

Object

  • living: Iraqis need to be able to earn a decent living, rather than depend on food handouts.

Preposition: on

  • average: The girls, he said, earned on an average from 5 s.

Adjective complement

  • less: Half the worlds workers earn less than two dollars a day.

Modifying Another Word

  • deservedly: Our Verdict... A cinematic masterpiece that deservedly earned five Oscars for its stars and director.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • up: Bristol City Council has a team of at least two walking officers, earning up to about eighteen thousand pounds.

Used with why or when

  • what: When they've earned what they consider is enough, they are too tired; or too ill, to live.

Infinitive complement

  • pay: Far fewer people even earned enough to pay direct taxes.

Preposition: in

  • excess: Senior staff may earn in excess of £ 30,000.
earn usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

earn quotes

I earn it by enjoying such authorityand prestige that people will not buy expensive Italian pictures without myapproval.

-Berenson, Bernard

It's full time work being on social security. They really make you earn your living.

-Weldon, Fay originally Franklin Birkinshaw

earn quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"earn." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/earn>

APA Style

earn. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/earn

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