I. gain 1 S3 W2 /ɡeɪn/ BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: French ; Origin: gagner , from Old French gaaignier 'to prepare the ground for growing crops, earn, gain' ]
1 . GET SOMETHING [transitive] to obtain or achieve something you want or need
gain control/power
Radical left-wing parties gained control of local authorities.
After gaining independence in 1957, it was renamed ‘Ghana’.
gain a degree/qualification etc
He gained a doctorate in Chemical Engineering.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say get rather than gain :
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She got a degree in English.
2 . GET GRADUALLY [intransitive and transitive] to gradually get more and more of a quality, feeling etc, especially a useful or valuable one:
She has gained a reputation as a good communicator.
Many of his ideas have gained popular support.
an opportunity to gain experience in a work environment
The youngsters gradually gain confidence in their abilities.
gain in
The sport has gained in popularity in recent years.
3 . ADVANTAGE [intransitive and transitive] to get an advantage from a situation, opportunity, or event
gain (something) from (doing) something
There is much to be gained from seeking expert advice early.
an attempt to gain a competitive advantage over their rivals
Who really stands to gain (=is likely to get an advantage) from these tax cuts?
There’s nothing to be gained (=it will not help you) by losing your temper.
4 . INCREASE [transitive] to increase in weight, speed, height, or value:
Carrie’s gained a lot of weight recently.
The dollar has gained 8% against the yen.
5 . gain access/entry/admittance etc (to something) to manage to enter a place, building, or organization:
New ramps will help the disabled gain better access.
methods used by burglars to gain entry to houses
6 . gain an understanding/insight/impression etc to learn or find out about something
gain an understanding/insight/impression etc of
We are hoping to gain a better understanding of the underlying process.
This enabled me to gain an overall impression of the school.
7 . gain ground to make steady progress and become more popular, more successful etc:
The anti-smoking lobby has steadily gained ground in the last decade.
8 . gain time to deliberately do something to give yourself more time to think OPP lose time
9 . CLOCK [intransitive and transitive] if a clock or watch gains, or if it gains time, it goes too fast OPP lose
10 . ARRIVE [transitive] literary to reach a place after a lot of effort or difficulty:
The swimmer finally gained the river bank.
⇨ nothing ventured, nothing gained at ↑ venture 2 (3)
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COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ nouns
▪ gain control
The government of mainland China gained control of the island in 1683.
▪ gain power
Many women wanted to gain power in a male-dominated world.
▪ gain independence
Jamaica has had this flag since 1962, when it gained independence from Britain.
▪ gain a reputation
He had gained a reputation as a crook.
▪ gain notoriety (=become famous, especially for doing something bad)
He gained notoriety as the author of a controversial novel.
▪ gain support
The proposal failed to gain support.
▪ gain popularity
Governments gain popularity by cutting taxes.
▪ gain acceptance
The theory has gradually gained acceptance among scientists.
▪ gain credibility (=start to be believed or trusted, or start to be thought of as good)
Screen actors feel that they gain credibility when they perform on stage.
▪ gain experience
In her first job, she gained experience as a programme manager.
▪ gain knowledge
Knowledge gained from the research will be used directly to help patients.
▪ gain confidence
The managers were gaining confidence in their ability to take calculated risks.
▪ gain strength
He is beginning to gain strength again after his illness.
▪ gain an understanding (=get knowledge based on learning and experience)
Drama is one of the key ways in which children can gain an understanding of themselves and of others.
▪ gain an insight (into something) (=get a chance to understand more about something)
You can gain an insight into horses’ feelings by the physical signs they give out.
▪ gain momentum (=keep increasing)
In the 1850s and 1860s, the British colonisation of India gained momentum.
■ adverbs
▪ quickly/rapidly gain something
Adam quickly gained the respect of the soldiers under his command.
▪ steadily gain something
The king was steadily gaining more support.
▪ gradually gain something
He is gradually gaining confidence in his own abilities.
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THESAURUS
▪ get [not in passive] to get something by finding it, asking for it, or paying for it:
I’ve been trying to get some information.
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She went to the bank to get some money.
▪ obtain formal to get something:
Maps and guides can be obtained from the tourist office.
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The newspaper has obtained a copy of the letter.
▪ acquire formal to get something – used about knowledge, skills, or something big or expensive:
The course helps older people to acquire computing skills.
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He acquired the property in 1985.
▪ inherit to get someone’s money or property after they die:
Jo inherited a lot of money from her mother.
▪ gain to get something useful or necessary, such as knowledge or experience:
I’ve gained a lot of useful experience.
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The research helped us gain an insight into how a child’s mind works.
▪ earn to get something because you deserve it:
He had earned a reputation as a peacemaker.
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She earned a lot of respect from her colleagues.
▪ get hold of something informal to get something that is rare or difficult to find:
I’m trying to get hold of a ticket for the game.
▪ lay your hands on something informal to get something that you want very much or that you have spent a lot of time looking for:
I read every book I could lay my hands on.
gain on somebody/something phrasal verb
to gradually get closer to a person, car etc that you are chasing:
Quick – they’re gaining on us!
II. gain 2 W3 BrE AmE noun
1 . ADVANTAGE [countable] an advantage or improvement, especially one achieved by planning or effort:
The party made considerable gains at local elections.
gain in
substantial gains in efficiency
gain from
the potential gains from improved marketing
gain to/for
There are obvious gains for the student.
2 . INCREASE [uncountable and countable] an increase in the amount or level of something OPP loss
gain in
a gain in weekly output
gain of
Retail sales showed a gain of 0.4%.
The Democratic Party needed a net gain of only 20 votes.
Eating too many fatty foods could cause weight gain.
3 . PROFIT [uncountable] financial profit, especially when this seems to be the only thing someone is interested in OPP loss
financial/economic/capital etc gain
They are seeking to realize the maximum financial gain.
gain of
a pre-tax gain of $20 million
for gain
Such research should not be for personal gain.
⇨ ↑ capital gains
4 . ill-gotten gains money or advantages obtained dishonestly – used humorously
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THESAURUS
▪ increase noun [uncountable and countable] an occasion when the amount or number of something becomes bigger:
There has been a significant increase in violent crime over the past year.
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price increases
▪ growth noun [singular, uncountable] an increase in the number, size, or importance of something. Growth is also used when saying that a company or a country’s economy becomes more successful:
The astonishing growth of the Internet has had a dramatic effect on people’s lives.
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Japan experienced a period of rapid economic growth.
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Many people are concerned about the enormous growth in the world’s population.
▪ rise noun [countable] an increase in the amount of something, or in the standard or level of something:
The latest figures show a sharp rise (=a sudden big rise) in unemployment in the region.
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There was a 34 percent rise in the number of armed robberies.
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The majority of families experienced a rise in living standards.
▪ surge noun [countable usually singular] a sudden increase in something such as profits, demand, or interest:
There has been a big surge in demand for organically grown food.
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We have seen a tremendous surge of interest in Chinese medicine.
▪ gain noun [uncountable and countable] an increase in the amount or level of something - used especially in business or political contexts, or when talking about an increase in someone’s weight:
sales gains
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The December job figures show a net gain of 81,000 jobs.
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The party has experienced a gain in popularity.
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The amount of weight gain during pregnancy varies.
▪ hike noun [countable] informal especially American English a large or sudden increase in prices or taxes - often used in newspaper reports:
Despite a 25% hike in fuel costs, the airline made a profit last year.
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tax hikes
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wage hikes