earn

Use earn in a sentence

verb

To earn is defined as to gain something through effort or work.

An example of to earn is to be paid five dollars for washing a car.
An example of to earn is to get a promotion for being very good at your job.
An example of to earn is to take a vacation after completing a difficult and time-consuming project.

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"earn." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 25 June 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/EARN>.

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earn. (n.d.). Retrieved June 25th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/EARN

earn

to receive (salary, wages, etc.) for one's labor or service
to get or deserve as a result of something one has done
to receive (interest, dividends, etc.) as a return

Origin of earn

Middle English ernen from Old English earnian, to gain, labor for, literally , to harvest, akin to German ernte, harvest, Old High German arn?n, to bring to harvest from Indo-European base an unverified form es-en, summer, harvest time

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"earn." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 25 June 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/EARN>.

APA Style

earn. (n.d.). Retrieved June 25th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/EARN

earn

transitive verb

earned, earn·ing, earns

To gain especially for the performance of service, labor, or work: earned money by mowing lawns.
To acquire or deserve as a result of effort or action: She earned a reputation as a hard worker.
To yield as return or profit: a savings account that earns interest on deposited funds.

Origin of earn

Middle English ernen from Old English earnian

Related Forms:

earn′er
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"earn." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 25 June 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/EARN>.

APA Style

earn. (n.d.). Retrieved June 25th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/EARN

earn

earn ¹deserve merit rate ¹win

These verbs mean to gain as a result of one's behavior or effort: earns a large salary; deserves our congratulations; a suggestion that merits consideration; an event that rates a mention in the news; a candidate who won wide support.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"earn." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 25 June 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/EARN>.

APA Style

earn. (n.d.). Retrieved June 25th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/EARN

Verb

(third-person singular simple present earns, present participle earning, simple past and past participle earned)

To gain (success, reward, recognition) through applied effort or work.
You can have the s'mores: you earned them, clearing the walkway of snow so well.
To receive payment for work.
He earns seven million dollars a year as CEO.
My bank account is only earning one percent interest.
(intransitive) To receive payment for work.
Now that you are earning, you can start paying me rent.
To cause (someone) to receive payment or reward
My CD earns me six percent!
To be worthy of.
To earn a spot in the top 20

Origin

Old English earnian

Verb

(third-person singular simple present earns, present participle earning, simple past and past participle earned)

(UK, dialect, dated) To curdle, as milk.

Origin

Anglo-Saxon irnan to run. See rennet, and compare yearnings.

Verb

(third-person singular simple present earns, present participle earning, simple past and past participle earned)

(obsolete) To long; to yearn.
(obsolete) To grieve.

Noun

(plural earns)

Alternative form of erne.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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MLA Style

"earn." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 25 June 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/EARN>.

APA Style

earn. (n.d.). Retrieved June 25th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/EARN

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