earn
1 (ûrn)
[Middle English ernen, from Old English earnian.]
transitive verb: earned, earn·ing, earns.
- To gain especially for the performance of service, labor, or work: earned money by mowing lawns.
- To acquire or deserve as a result of effort or action: She earned a reputation as a hard worker.
- To yield as return or profit: a savings account that earns interest on deposited funds.
idioms
- earn (one's) spurs
- To gain a position through hard work and the accumulation of experience, often in the face of difficulties.
derivatives
- earńer
- noun
synonyms:
earn1deserve, merit, rate1win These verbs mean to gain as a result of one's behavior or effort: earns a large salary; deserves our congratulations; a suggestion that merits consideration; an event that rates a mention in the news; a candidate who won wide support.
earn
2 (ûrn)
[Middle English ernen, variant of yernen; see yearn.]
intransitive verb: earned, earn·ing, earns.
Obsolete- To yearn.
