 |
| Language: | Old English |
| Origin: | earnian |
1 to receive a particular amount of money for the work that you do COLLOCATIONS 
COLLOCATIONS
earn money earn a wage/salary earn a living (=earn enough money for the things you need to live) earn a crust British English (=earn enough money to live) be earning British English (=to have a job) earn good money/earn well (=earn a lot of money) earn a fortune (=earn an extremely large amount of money)
money for work
[intransitive and transitive]BE
COLLOCATIONS earn money earn a wage/salary earn a living (=earn enough money for the things you need to live) earn a crust British English (=earn enough money to live) be earning British English (=to have a job) earn good money/earn well (=earn a lot of money) earn a fortune (=earn an extremely large amount of money)
2 to make a profit from business or from putting money in a bank etc : The movie earned £7 million on its first day.
profit
[transitive]BFThe movie earned £7 million on its first day.3
something deserved
[transitive]a) to do something or have qualities that make you deserve something : I think you've earned a rest. He soon earned the respect of the players.
I think you've earned a rest.He soon earned the respect of the players.b) if your actions or qualities earn you something, they make you deserve to have it
4
earn your/its keep
a) to do jobs in return for being given a home and food : We older children were expected to earn our keep.
We older children were expected to earn our keep.b) to be useful enough to be worth the time or money spent : These aircraft are still earning their keep.
These aircraft are still earning their keep.WORD CHOICE: WORD CHOICE:
gain, earn, getDo not use gain to mean 'get money for work you do'. Use earn • people earning less than £10,000 per year • How much does he earn?Gain means to get something useful or necessary, whether or not you deserve it • I have gained a lot of useful experience. • Her problems seem to have gained her more support from the public.Use earn rather than gain to say that you get something because you deserve it • Through hard work you will earn the respect of your colleagues.Get can be used as a less formal way of saying gain or earn • I get $20 an hour. • He has started to get a reputation for being awkward. ➔ See also gain
WORD CHOICE: gain, earn, getDo not use gain to mean 'get money for work you do'. Use earn • people earning less than £10,000 per year • How much does he earn?Gain means to get something useful or necessary, whether or not you deserve it • I have gained a lot of useful experience. • Her problems seem to have gained her more support from the public.Use earn rather than gain to say that you get something because you deserve it • Through hard work you will earn the respect of your colleagues.Get can be used as a less formal way of saying gain or earn • I get $20 an hour. • He has started to get a reputation for being awkward. ➔ See also gain
