Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

gain

2 noun
     
gain2 W3
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 [≠ 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 goods could cause weight gain.
3

profit

[uncountable] financial profit, especially when this seems to be the only thing someone is interested in [≠ 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
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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