n.
Pronunciation: ' win
Function: verb
Inflected Form: won \ ' w ə n \ ; win · ning
Etymology: Middle English winnen, from Old English winnan to struggle; akin to Old High German winnan to struggle and probably to Latin venus sexual desire, charm, Sanskrit vanas desire, vanoti he strives for
Date: before 12th century
transitive verb
1 a : to get possession of by effort or fortune b : to obtain by work : EARN <striving to win a living from the sterile soil>
2 a : to gain in or as if in battle or contest < won the championship> b : to be the victor in < won the war>
3 a : to make friendly or favorable to oneself or to one's cause ― often used with over < won him over with persuasive arguments> b : to induce to accept oneself in marriage <was unable to win the woman he loved>
4 a : to obtain (as ore, coal, or clay) by mining b : to prepare (as a vein or bed) for regular mining c : to recover (as metal) from ore
5 : to reach by expenditure of effort
intransitive verb
1 : to gain the victory in a contest : SUCCEED
2 : to succeed in arriving at a place or a state
– win · less \ ' win-l ə s \ adjective
– win · na · ble \ ' wi-n ə -b ə l \ adjective