Emily Dickinson Lexicon

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,

See AGAINST.

GAIN'STAND, v.t. [Sax. gean, against, and stand.]

To withstand; to oppose; to resist. [Obs.] Sidney.

GAIN'STRIVE, v.i. [Sax. gean, and strive.]

To make resistance. [Obs.] Spenser.

GAIN'STRIVE, v.t.

To withstand. [Obs.]

GAIR'ISH, a. [Qu. from the root of gear, Sax. gearwian, to prepare or dress; or Scot. gair, a stripe, whence gaired, gairie, striped, streaked. In Gr. {foreign} is proud, boasting.]

1. Gaudy; showy; fine; affectedly fine; tawdry. Monstrous hats and gairish colors. Ascham.
2. Extravagantly gay; flighty. Fame and glory transport a man out of himself; it makes the mind loose and gairish. South.

GAIR'ISH-LY, adv.

In a gaudy, showy manner.

GAIR'ISH-NESS, n.

1. Gaudiness; finery; affected or ostentatious show.
2. Flighty or extravagant joy, or ostentation. Taylor.

GAIT, n. [This word is probably connected with go or gad.]

1. A going; a walk; a march; a way. Shak. Spenser.
2. Manner of walking or stepping. Every man has his peculiar gait.

GAIT'ED, a.

In compounds, having a particular gait.