gain

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   increase one's body weight

   They gained 20 pounds when they stopped exercising.

2. 2
   verb

   increase or develop

   the peace movement gained momentum

3. 3
   verb

   rise in rate or price

   The stock market gained 24 points today

4. 4
   verb

   obtain advantages, such as points, etc.

   The home team was gaining ground

5. 5
   verb

   To acquire possession of.

   Looks like you’ve gained a new friend.

6. 6
   verb

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

   The sick man gains daily.

7. 7
   verb

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

   to gain a battle; to gain a case at law

8. 8
   verb

   To increase.

   Then they had bouts of wrestling and of cudgel play, so that every day they gained in skill and strength.

Etymology

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”…