Nearby Words
verb (used with object)
1.
to get (something desired), especially as a result of one's efforts: to gain possession of an object; to gain permission to enter a country.
2.
to acquire as an increase or addition: to gain weight; to gain speed.
3.
to obtain as a profit: He gained ten dollars by this deal.
4.
to win; get in competition: to gain the prize.
5.
EXPANDto win (someone) to one's own side or point of view; persuade (sometimes followed by over): to gain supporters.
6.
(of a watch or clock) to run fast by (a specified amount): My watch gains six minutes a day.
7.
COLLAPSEto reach, especially by effort; get to; arrive at: to gain one's destination.
verb (used without object)
8.
to improve; make progress; advance: to gain in health after an illness.
9.
to get nearer, as in pursuit (usually followed by on or upon): Our horse was gaining on the favorite at the far turn.
10.
to draw away from or farther ahead of the other contestants in a race, one's pursuers, etc. (usually followed by on or upon).
11.
(of a watch or clock) to run fast.
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Gain ground
is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
noun
Idioms12.
profit or advantage.
13.
an increase or advance.
14.
gains, profits or winnings.
15.
the act of gaining; acquisition.
16.
EXPANDElectronics.
a.
a measure of the increase in signal amplitude produced by an amplifier, expressed as the ratio of output to input.
b.
the effectiveness of a directional antenna as compared with a standard, nondirectional one.
18.
gain ground, to progress or advance, as in value, strength, or achievement: The company's new products are gaining ground in suburban areas.
19.
gain time, to arrange a postponement or delay for a particular purpose, especially by roundabout means.
Origin:
1425–75; late Middle English (noun) < Middle French, contraction of Old French gaaing, noun derivative of gaaignier to till, earn, win < Germanic; compare Old High German weidanōn to hunt, forage for food
1425–75; late Middle English (noun) < Middle French, contraction of Old French gaaing, noun derivative of gaaignier to till, earn, win < Germanic; compare Old High German weidanōn to hunt, forage for food
Related forms
gain·a·ble, adjective
un·gain·a·ble, adjective
Synonyms
1. procure. Gain, attain, earn, win imply obtaining a reward or something advantageous. Gain carries the least suggestion of method or of effort expended. Attain emphasizes the reaching of a goal. Earn emphasizes the exertions and labor expended that deserve reward. Win emphasizes attainment in spite of competition or opposition. 7. attain. 13. addition, increment, acquisition.
1. procure. Gain, attain, earn, win imply obtaining a reward or something advantageous. Gain carries the least suggestion of method or of effort expended. Attain emphasizes the reaching of a goal. Earn emphasizes the exertions and labor expended that deserve reward. Win emphasizes attainment in spite of competition or opposition. 7. attain. 13. addition, increment, acquisition.
Antonyms
1. lose.
1. lose.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
noun
1.
the solid surface of the earth; firm or dry land: to fall to the ground.
2.
earth or soil: stony ground.
3.
land having an indicated character: rising ground.
4.
Often, grounds. a tract of land appropriated to a special use: picnic grounds; a hunting ground.
5.
EXPAND6.
subject for discussion; topic: Sex education is forbidden ground in some school curricula.
7.
rational or factual support for one's position or attitude, as in a debate or argument: on firm ground; on shaky ground.
8.
the main surface or background in painting, decorative work, lace, etc.
9.
Fine Arts.
a.
a coating of some substance serving as a surface for paint, ink, or other media in art: Lead white is a traditional ground for oil paintings.
b.
ground color (def. 2).
10.
(in perception) the background in a visual field, contrasted with the figure.
11.
Also called etching ground. an acid-resistant substance, composed of wax, gum, and resin in varying proportions, applied to the entire surface of an etching plate and through which the design is drawn with an etching needle.
12.
grounds, dregs or sediment: coffee grounds.
13.
grounds, the gardens, lawn, etc., surrounding and belonging to a building.
14.
Electricity. a conducting connection between an electric circuit or equipment and the earth or some other conducting body.
15.
Music. ground bass.
16.
Nautical. the bottom of a body of water.
17.
the earth's solid or liquid surface; land or water.
18.
COLLAPSECarpentry.
a.
a strip of wood to which woodwork can be attached, set flush with the plaster finish of a room.
b.
a strip of wood or length of corner bead used at an opening as a stop for plasterwork.
adjective
19.
situated on or at, or adjacent to, the surface of the earth: a ground attack.
20.
pertaining to the ground.
21.
Military. operating on land: ground forces.
verb (used with object)
22.
to lay or set on the ground.
23.
to place on a foundation; fix firmly; settle or establish; found.
24.
to instruct in elements or first principles: to ground students in science.
25.
to furnish with a ground or background, as on decorative work.
26.
EXPANDto cover (wallpaper) with colors or other materials before printing.
27.
Electricity. to establish a ground for (a circuit, device, etc.).
28.
Nautical. to cause (a vessel) to run aground.
29.
Aeronautics. to restrict (an aircraft or the like) to the ground because of bad weather, the unsatisfactory condition of the aircraft, etc.
30.
to forbid (a pilot) to fly because of bad health, failure to comply with safety regulations, or the like.
31.
Informal. to put out of action or make unable to participate: The quarterback was grounded by a knee injury.
32.
COLLAPSEInformal. to restrict the activities, especially the social activities, of: I can't go to the party—my parents have grounded me until my grades improve.
verb (used without object)
Verb phrase33.
to come to or strike the ground.
34.
35.
Idiomsground out, Baseball. to be put out at first base after hitting a ground ball to the infield.
36.
break ground,
a.
to plow.
b.
to begin excavation for a construction project.
c.
to begin upon or take preparatory measures for any undertaking.
37.
cover ground,
a.
to pass or travel over a certain area.
b.
to make a certain amount of progress in dealing with a piece of work, subject, treatise, or the like: He talked for two hours without covering much ground.
38.
cut the ground from under, to render (an argument, position, person, etc.) ineffective or invalid; refute: It didn't require much effort to cut the ground from under that case.
39.
from the ground up,
a.
gradually from the most elementary level to the highest level: She learned the business from the ground up.
b.
extensively; thoroughly: The professor knew his subject from the ground up.
40.
EXPANDgain ground,
a.
to make progress; advance.
b.
to gain approval or acceptance: The case for air-pollution control is gaining ground throughout the country.
41.
give ground, to yield to force or forceful argument; retreat: The disarmament talks reached an impasse when neither side would give ground on inspection proposals.
42.
hold/stand one's ground, to maintain one's position; be steadfast: The referee stood his ground, though his decision was hotly contested by the crowd.
43.
into the ground, beyond a reasonable or necessary point: You've stated your case, and you needn't run it into the ground.
44.
lose ground,
a.
to retreat or be forced back.
b.
to lose one's advantage; suffer a reverse.
c.
to wane in popularity or acceptance; begin to fail: Our candidate is losing ground in industrial areas.
45.
off the ground, Informal. into action or well under way: The play never got off the ground.
46.
on one's own ground, in an area or situation that one knows well.
47.
on the ground, at the place of interest or importance; actively engaged: Minutes after the bank robbery reporters were on the ground to get the story.
48.
shift ground, to change position in an argument or situation.
49.
suit down to the ground, to be perfectly satisfactory; please greatly: This climate suits me down to the ground.
50.
take the ground, Nautical. to become grounded at low water.
51.
COLLAPSEto ground,
a.
into a den, burrow, shelter, or the like: a fox gone to ground.
b.
into concealment or hiding: Rather than take the witness stand, she went to ground in another country.
Origin:
before 900; (noun) Middle English grownd, grund, Old English grund; cognate with Dutch grond, German Grund; (v.) Middle English grundien, grownden to set on a foundation, establish, derivative of the noun
before 900; (noun) Middle English grownd, grund, Old English grund; cognate with Dutch grond, German Grund; (v.) Middle English grundien, grownden to set on a foundation, establish, derivative of the noun
Related forms
ground·a·ble, adjective
ground·a·bly, adverb
ground·ed·ly, adverb
ground·ed·ness, noun
ground·ward, ground·wards, adverb, adjective
EXPANDun·ground·a·ble, adjective
COLLAPSE
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To gain ground
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
gain
late 15c. (n.), 1520s (v.), from M.Fr. gain, from O.Fr. gaaigne, from gaaignier "to gain," also "cultivate land," from Frank. *waidanjan "hunt, forage," also "graze, pasture," from P.Gmc. *wartho "hunting ground" (cf. Ger. weide "pasture, pasturage," O.N. veiðr "hunting"), from PIE *wei "to strive
EXPANDafter." The original O.Fr. sense enfolded the notions of "profit from agriculture" and "booty, prey." Related: Gained; gaining.
ground
O.E. grund "foundation, ground, surface of the earth," especially "bottom of the sea" (a sense preserved in run aground), from P.Gmc. *grundus, which seems to have meant "deep place" (cf. O.Fris. grund, Du. grond, Ger. Grund "ground, soil, bottom;" O.N. grunn "a shallow place, grund "field, plain," grunnr
"bottom"). No known cognates outside Gmc. Sense of "reason, motive" first attested c.1200; electrical sense is from 1870. Grounds "residue at the bottom of a liquid" (mid-14c.) is perhaps from past tense of grind (q.v.). Meaning "deny privileges" is 1940s, originally a punishment meted out to pilots (in which sense it is attested from 1931). Ground-hog is attested from 1784; Ground Hog Day first recorded 1871, Amer.Eng. Groundwork (c.1550) is originally "the solid base on which a structure is built;" fig. sense is from 1550s. Groundling "theater patron in the pit" is from c.1600, from the beginning emblematic of bad or unsophisticated taste.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
gain (gān)
n.
An increase in amount or degree.
Progress; advancement.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
ground  (ground) Pronunciation Key
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
gain ground
-
Advance, make progress; also, win acceptance. For example, The new conservation policy is gaining ground among the voters. This expression alludes to a military advance in which an army literally takes territory from the enemy. Its figurative use dates from about 1800. For an antonym, see lose ground.
-
gain ground on or upon. Encroach on, advance at the expense of. For example, Door-to-door canvassing helped them gain ground on the opposition.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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