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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
  3. to get as an increase, addition, profit, or advantage to gain ten pounds
  4. to make an increase in to gain speed
  5. to go faster by my watch gained two minutes
  6. 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.

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 ›