GAIN (4)

Gain, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gained (gānd); p. pr. & vb. n. Gaining.] [[From gain, n. but. prob. influenced by F. gagner to earn, gain, OF. gaaignier to cultivate, OHG. weidinōn, weidinen to pasture, hunt, fr. weida pasturage, G. weide, akin to Icel. veiðr hunting, AS. wāðu, cf. L. venari to hunt, E. venison. See Gain, n., profit.]] 1. 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. 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. 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. 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. 5. To get, incur, or receive, as loss, harm, or damage.
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. 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.