to get (something desired), esp. 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.
to win (someone) to one's own side or point of view; persuade (sometimes fol. 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.
to reach, esp. 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 fol. 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 fol. by on or upon).
11.
(of a watch or clock) to run fast.
–noun
12.
profit or advantage.
13.
an increase or advance.
14.
gains, profits or winnings.
15.
the act of gaining; acquisition.
16.
Electronics.
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.
17.
the volume control of a radio, phonograph, amplifier, etc.
—Idioms
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, esp. by roundabout means.
[Origin: 1425–75; late ME (n.) < MF, contr. of OF gaaing, n. deriv of gaaignier to till, earn, win < Gmc; cf. OHG weidanōn to hunt, forage for food]
—Related forms
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.
(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.
the earth's solid or liquid surface; land or water.
18.
Carpentry.
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.
to 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.
Informal. to restrict the activities, esp. the social activities, of: I can't go to the party—my parents have grounded me until my grades improve.
–verb (used without object)
33.
to come to or strike the ground.
34.
Baseball.
a.
to hit a ground ball.
b.
to ground out.
—Verb phrase
35.
ground out, Baseball. to be put out at first base after hitting a ground ball to the infield.
—Idioms
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.
gain 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 or 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.
to 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: bef. 900; (n.) ME grownd, grund, OE grund; c. D grond, G Grund; (v.) ME grundien, grownden to set on a foundation, establish, deriv. of the n.]
To come into possession or use of; acquire: gained a small fortune in real estate; gained vital information about the enemy's plans.
To attain in competition or struggle; win: gained a decisive victory; gained control of the company.
To obtain through effort or merit; achieve: gain recognition; gain a hearing for the proposal.
To secure as profit or reward; earn: gain a living; gain extra credits in school.
To manage to achieve an increase of: a movement that gained strength; gained wisdom with age.
To increase by (a specific amount): gained 15 pounds; the market gained 30 points.
To come to; reach: gained the top of the mountain. See Synonyms at reach.
To become fast by (a specified amount of time). Used of a timepiece: My watch gains four minutes a day.
v.
intr.
To increase; grow: gained in experience and maturity; a painting that gained in value.
To become better; improve: gaining in health.
To obtain a profit or advantage; benefit: stood to gain politically by his opponent's blunder.
To close a gap; get closer: The runners in the back gained steadily on the leader.
To increase a lead.
To put on weight: I began to gain when I went off my diet.
To operate or run fast. Used of a timepiece.
n.
Something gained or acquired: territorial gains.
Progress; advancement: The country made economic gains under the new government.
The act of acquiring; attainment.
An increase in amount or degree: a gain in operating income.
Electronics An increase in signal power, voltage, or current by an amplifier, expressed as the ratio of output to input. Also called amplification.
[From Middle English gayne, booty (from Old French gaigne, gain, gain, from gaaignier, to gain, of Germanic origin; see weiə- in Indo-European roots) and Middle English gein, advantage (from Old Norse gegn, ready, and from Old French gain, gain).]
obtain advantages, such as points, etc.; "The home team was gaining ground"; "After defeating the Knicks, the Blazers pulled ahead of the Lakers in the battle for the number-one playoff berth in the Western Conference" [syn: gain] [ant: drop off]
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.
[geyn] Pronunciation Key 
