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Earn vs Buy - What's the difference?

earn | buy |

Buy is a antonym of earn.



In transitive terms the difference between earn and buy

is that earn is to be worthy of while buy is to be equivalent to in value.

In intransitive terms the difference between earn and buy

is that earn is to receive payment for work while buy is to make a purchase or purchases, to treat (for a meal.

earn

English

Etymology 1

Old English earnian

Verb

(en verb)
  • (lb) To gain (success, reward, recognition) through applied effort or work.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers, of errand not wholly obvious to their fellows, yet of such sort as to call into query alike the nature of their errand and their own relations. It is easily earned repetition to state that Josephine St. Auban's was a presence not to be concealed.
  • *{{quote-news, year=2011, date=November 12, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= International friendly: England 1-0 Spain , passage=England will not be catapulted among the favourites for Euro 2012 as a result of this win, but no victory against Spain is earned easily and it is right they take great heart from their efforts as they now prepare to play Sweden at Wembley on Tuesday.}}
  • (lb) To receive payment for work.
  • :
  • :(rfex)
  • (lb) To receive payment for work.
  • :
  • (lb) To cause (someone) to receive payment or reward.
  • :
  • (lb) To be worthy of.
  • :
  • Synonyms
    * (gain through applied effort or work) deserve, merit, garner, win * * * (cause someone to receive payment or reward) yield, make, generate, render
    Derived terms
    * earner * earnings * earn one's keep

    Etymology 2

    Anglo-Saxon irnan to run. See rennet, and compare yearnings.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (UK, dialect, dated) To curdle, as milk.
  • Etymology 3

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To long; to yearn.
  • * Spenser
  • And ever as he rode, his heart did earn / To prove his puissance in battle brave.
  • (obsolete) To grieve.
  • Etymology 4

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (Sir Walter Scott)
    (Webster 1913)

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----

    buy

    English

    Verb

  • To obtain (something) in exchange for money or goods
  • * Benjamin Franklin
  • Buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou wilt sell thy necessaries.
  • To obtain by some sacrifice.
  • * Bible, Proverbs xxiii. 23
  • Buy the truth and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
  • To bribe.
  • To be equivalent to in value.
  • (informal) to accept as true; to believe
  • To make a purchase or purchases, to treat (for a meal)
  • (poker slang) To make a bluff, usually a large one.
  • Synonyms

    * purchase * (accept as true) accept, believe, swallow (informal), take on * make a buy

    Antonyms

    * sell, vend * (accept as true) disbelieve, reject, pitch

    Derived terms

    * bring-and-buy * buyable * buyer * buy back * buy into * buy it * buy to let * buy off * buy out * buy someone off * buy someone out * buy straw hats in winter * buy the farm * buy time * buy up * can I buy you a drink * impulse buy * money can't buy happiness * outbuy * rebuy

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Something which is bought; a purchase.
  • Antonyms

    * sale

    Derived terms

    * buydown * buyout * impulse buy