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Gain vs Cost - What's the difference?

gain | cost | Related terms |

In obsolete terms the difference between gain and cost

is that gain is straightly; quickly; by the nearest way or means while cost is a rib; a side.

As a preposition gain

is against.

As an adjective gain

is straight, direct; near; short.

As an adverb gain

is straightly; quickly; by the nearest way or means.

gain

English

Etymology 1

From dialectal English (m), (m), short for (m), . More at (l).

Preposition

(English prepositions)
  • (obsolete) Against.
  • Derived terms
    * (l)

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (m), (m), , from the adjective.

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Straight, direct; near; short.
  • the gainest way
  • (obsolete) Suitable; convenient; ready.
  • (dialectal) Easy; tolerable; handy, dexterous.
  • (dialectal) Honest; respectable; moderate; cheap.
  • Derived terms
    * (l) * (l)

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (obsolete) Straightly; quickly; by the nearest way or means.
  • (dialectal) Suitably; conveniently; dexterously; moderately.
  • (dialectal) Tolerably; fairly.
  • gain quiet (= fairly/pretty quiet)

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) (m), . The Middle English word was reinforced by (etyl) . Related to (l), (l).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of gaining.
  • * Tennyson
  • the lust of gain
  • What one gains, as a return on investment or dividend.
  • No pain, no gain .
  • * Shakespeare
  • Everyone shall share in the gains .
  • (electronics) The factor by which a signal is multiplied.
  • Antonyms
    * loss
    Derived terms
    * autogain * gainful * gainsome

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To acquire possession of what one did not have before.
  • Looks like you've gained a new friend.
  • * Bible, Matthew xvi. 26
  • What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
  • * Alexander Pope
  • For fame with toil we gain , but lose with ease.
  • To have or receive advantage or profit; to acquire gain; to grow rich; to advance in interest, health, or happiness; to make progress.
  • The sick man gains daily.
  • * Bible, Ezekiel xxii. 12
  • Thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion.
  • (dated) To come off winner or victor in; to be successful in; to obtain by competition.
  • to gain''' a battle; to '''gain a case at law
  • To increase.
  • * 1883 , (Howard Pyle), (The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood)
  • Then they had bouts of wrestling and of cudgel play, so that every day they gained in skill and strength.
  • To be more likely to catch or overtake an individual.
  • I'm gaining (on you).
    gain ground
  • To reach.
  • to gain the top of a mountain
  • * 1907 , Jack London, The Iron Heel :
  • Ernest laughed harshly and savagely when he had gained the street.
  • To draw into any interest or party; to win to one's side; to conciliate.
  • * Bible, Matthew xviii. 15
  • If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
  • * Dryden
  • to gratify the queen, and gain the court
  • To put on weight.
  • I've been gaining .
  • (of a clock or watch) To run fast.
  • Etymology 4

    Compare (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (architecture) A square or bevelled notch cut out of a girder, binding joist, or other timber which supports a floor beam, so as to receive the end of the floor beam.
  • Anagrams

    * (l) * (l) * (l), (l) ----

    cost

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) . Cognate with (etyl) (m), (etyl) dialectal . Related to (l).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Manner; way; means; available course; contrivance.
  • at all costs (= "by all means")
  • Quality; condition; property; value; worth; a wont or habit; disposition; nature; kind; characteristic.
  • Derived terms
    * (l) * (l)

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (m), (m), from , see below.

    Noun

    (wikipedia cost) (en noun)
  • Amount of money, time, etc. that is required or used.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-08, volume=407, issue=8839, page=55, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= Obama goes troll-hunting , passage=According to this saga of intellectual-property misanthropy, these creatures [patent trolls] roam the business world, buying up patents and then using them to demand extravagant payouts from companies they accuse of infringing them. Often, their victims pay up rather than face the costs of a legal battle.}}
  • A negative consequence or loss that occurs or is required to occur.
  • Derived terms
    {{der3, appraisal cost , at cost , carbon cost , cost and freight , cost avoidance , cost-benefit , cost benefit analysis , cost center , cost control , cost cutting , cost-effective , cost-efficient , cost function , costless , costly , cost objective , cost of business, cost of doing business, cost of sales , cost of living , cost of money , cost overrun , cost per avalable seat mile , cost price , cost-push , design to cost , flotation cost , landed cost , low-cost , marginal cost , opportunity cost , private cost , sunk cost , unexpired cost , unit cost , variable cost}}

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) (m), .

    Verb

    See Usage notes.
  • To incur a charge; to require payment of a price.
  • :
  • :
  • *
  • *:Thus the red damask curtains which now shut out the fog-laden, drizzling atmosphere of the Marylebone Road, had cost a mere song, and yet they might have been warranted to last another thirty years. A great bargain also had been the excellent Axminster carpet which covered the floor;.
  • To cause something to be lost; to cause the expenditure or relinquishment of.
  • :
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:though it cost me ten nights' watchings
  • (label) To require to be borne or suffered; to cause.
  • *(John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • *:to do him wanton rites, which cost them woe
  • To calculate or estimate a price.
  • :
  • Usage notes
    The past tense and past participle is cost'' in the sense of "this computer cost''' me £600", but ''costed'' in the sense of 'calculated', "the project was ' costed at $1 million."
    Derived terms
    * cost an arm and a leg * cost a pretty penny * cost the earth * how much does it cost

    Etymology 4

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A rib; a side.
  • * Ben Jonson
  • betwixt the costs of a ship
  • (heraldry) A cottise.
  • Statistics

    *