DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 Gain, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gained p. pr. & vb. n. Gaining.]
 1. To get, as profit or advantage; to obtain or acquire by effort or labor; as, to gain a good living.
    What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?   --Matt. xvi. 26.
    To gain dominion, or to keep it gained.   --Milton.
    For fame with toil we gain, but lose with ease.   --Pope.
 2. To come off winner or victor in; to be successful in; to obtain by competition; as, to gain a battle; to gain a case at law; to gain a prize.
 3. To draw into any interest or party; to win to one's side; to conciliate.
    If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.   --Matt. xviii. 15.
    To gratify the queen, and gained the court.   --Dryden.
 4. To reach; to attain to; to arrive at; as, to gain the top of a mountain; to gain a good harbor.
    Forded Usk and gained the wood.   --Tennyson.
 5. To get, incur, or receive, as loss, harm, or damage. [Obs. or Ironical]
    Ye should . . . not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.   --Acts xxvii. 21.
 Gained day, the calendar day gained in sailing eastward around the earth.
 To gain ground, to make progress; to advance in any undertaking; to prevail; to acquire strength or extent.
 To gain over, to draw to one's party or interest; to win over.
 To gain the wind Naut., to reach the windward side of another ship.
 Syn: -- To obtain; acquire; get; procure; win; earn; attain; achieve.
 Usage: See Obtain. -- To Gain, Win. Gain implies only that we get something by exertion; win, that we do it in competition with others. A person gains knowledge, or gains a prize, simply by striving for it; he wins a victory, or wins a prize, by taking it in a struggle with others.