Emily Dickinson Lexicon

GAHN'ITE, n. [from Gahn, the discoverer.]

A mineral, called also automalite and octahedral corundum. It is always crystalized in regular octahedrons, or in tetrahedrons with truncated angles. Cleaveland. Ure.

GAI'LY, adv. [from gay, and better written gayly.]

1. Splendidly; with finery or showiness.
2. Joyfully; merrily.

GAIN, a.

Handy; dextrous. [Obs.]

GAIN, n. [W. gàn, a mortise; ganu, to contain.]

In architecture, a beveling shoulder; a lapping of timbers, or the cut that is made for receiving a timber. Encyc.

GAIN, n. [Fr. gain.]

1. Profit; interest; something obtained as an advantage. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Phil. iii.
2. Unlawful advantage. 2 Cor. xii.
3. Overplus in computation; any thing opposed to loss.

GAIN, v.i.

1. To have advantage or profit; to grow rich; to advance in interest or happiness. Thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbors by extortion. Ezek. xxii.
2. To encroach; to advance on; to come forward by degrees; with on; as, the ocean or river gains on the land.
3. To advance nearer; to gain ground on; with on; as, a fleet horse gains on his competitor.
4. To get ground; to prevail against or have the advantage. The English have not only gained upon the Venetians in the Levant, but have their cloth in Venice itself. Addison.
5. To obtain influence with. My good behavior had so far gained on the emperor, that I began to conceive hopes of liberty. Swift. To gain the wind, in sea language, is to arrive on the windward side of another ship.

GAIN, v.t. [Fr. gagner; Arm. gounit; Sw. gagna; Sax. gynan; Sp. ganar; Port. ganhar; Heb. Ch. and Syr. קנה, Ar. قَفَا kana, to gain, to possess. Class Gn, No. 49, 50, 51. The radical sense is to take, or rather to extend to, to reach.]

1. To obtain by industry or the employment of capital; to get as profit or advantage; to acquire. Any industrious person may gain a good living in America; but it is less difficult to gain property, than it is to use it with prudence. Money at interest may gain five, six, or seven per cent. What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Matth. xvi.
2. To win; to obtain by superiority or success; as, to gain a battle or a victory; to gain a prize; to gain a cause in law.
3. To obtain; to acquire; to procure; to receive; as, to gain favor; to gain reputation. For fame with toil we gain, but lose with ease. Pope.
4. To obtain an increase of any thing; as, to gain time.
5. To obtain or receive any thing, good or bad; as, to gain harm and loss. Acts xxvii.
6. To draw into any interest or party; to win to one's side; to conciliate. To gratify the queen, and gain the court. Dryden. If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. Matth. xviii.
7. To obtain as a suitor. Milton.
8. To reach; to attain to; to arrive at; as, to gain the top of a mountain; to gain a good harbor. To gain into, to draw or persuade to join in. He gained Lepidus into his measures. Middleton. To gain over, to draw to another party or interest; to win over. To gain ground, to advance in any undertaking; to prevail; to acquire strength or extent; to increase.

GAIN'A-BLE, a.

That may be obtained or reached. Sherwood.

GAIN'AGE, n.

In old laws, the same as wainage, that is guainage; the horses, oxen and furniture of the wain, or the instruments for carrying on tillage, which, when a villain was amerced, were left free, that cultivation might not be interrupted. The word signifies also the land itself, or the profit made by cultivation. Encyc.

GAIN'ED, pp.

Obtained as profit or advantage; won; drawn over to a party; reached.

GAIN'ER, n.

One that gains or obtains profit, interest or advantage.

GAIN'FUL, a.

1. Producing profit or advantage; profitable; advantageous; advancing interest or happiness.
2. Lucrative; productive of money; adding to the wealth or estate.

GAIN'FUL-LY, adv.

With increase of wealth; profitably; advantageously.

GAIN'FUL-NESS, n.

Profit; advantage.

GAIN'GIV-ING, n. [from the root of again, against, and give. See Gainsay.]

A misgiving; a giving against or away. [Not used.] Shak.

GAIN'ING, ppr.

Obtaining by industry or superiority; winning; reaching.

GAIN'INGS, n.

What a person obtains by industry, or success in business.

GAIN'LESS, a.

Not producing gain; unprofitable; not bringing advantage. Hammond.

GAIN'LESS-NESS, n.

Unprofitableness; want of advantage. Decay of Piety.

GAIN'LY, adv.

Handily; readily; dextrously. [Obs.]

GAIN-SAY', v.t. [Sax. gean, or ongean, and say; Eng. against; Sw. igen; Dan. gien, igien. See Again, Against.]

To contradict; to oppose in words; to deny or declare not to be true what another says; to controvert; to dispute; applied to persons, or to propositions, declarations, or facts. I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. Luke xxi.

GAIN-SAY'ED, pp.

Contradicted; denied.

GAIN-SAY'ER, n.

One who contradicts or denies what is alledged; an opposer. Tit. i.

GAIN-SAY'ING, ppr.

Contradicting; denying; opposing.

GAINST, prep. ['GAINST. See AGAINST.]