Emily Dickinson Lexicon

GAIN, v.t. [Fr. gagner; Arm. gounit; Sw. gagna; Sax. gynan; Sp. ganar; Port. ganhar; Heb. Ch. and Syr. קנה, Ar. قَنََا 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.