~ 1
■ noun
1》 a piece of open-meshed material used typically for catching fish.
↘a ~ supported by a frame at the end of a handle, used for catching fish or insects.
2》 a structure with a ~ used in various games, e.g. as a goal in football, to divide a tennis court, or to enclose a cricket practice area.
3》 a fine fabric with a very open weave.
4》 a means of selecting or securing someone or something: he spread his ~ far and wide in his search for success.
5》 a communications or broadcasting ~work.
↘a ~work of interconnected computers.
↘( the Net ) the Inter~.
■ verb ( ~s , ~ting , ~ted )
1》 catch or obtain with or as with a ~.
2》 (in sport) hit (a ball) into the ~; score (a goal).
3》 cover with a ~.
Derivatives
~ful noun ( plural ~fuls ).
-~ter noun
Origin
OE ~ , ~t , of Gmc origin.
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~ 2
( Brit. also ~t )
■ adjective
1》 (of an amount, value, or price) remaining after the deduction of tax or other contributions. Often contrasted with gross .
↘(of a weight) excluding that of the packaging.
2》 final; overall: the ~ result is the same.
■ verb ( ~s , ~ting , ~ted ) acquire (a sum) as clear profit.
↘( ~ something down/off/out ) exclude a non-~ amount when making a calculation, to reduce the amount left to a ~ sum.
Origin
ME (in the senses 'clean' and 'smart', also 'free from deductions'): from Fr. ~ ; see neat 1 .