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Gain vs Glean - What's the difference?

gain | glean | Related terms |

In obsolete terms the difference between gain and glean

is that gain is straightly; quickly; by the nearest way or means while glean is cleaning; afterbirth.

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) ----

    glean

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) , from (etyl).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To collect (grain, grapes, etc.) left behind after the main harvest or gathering.
  • * , Ruth 2:2,
    • Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace.
  • * Shakespeare
    • To glean the broken ears after the man / That the main harvest reaps.
  • To gather what is left in (a field or vineyard).
    • to glean a field
  • To gather information in small amounts, with implied difficulty, bit by bit.
  • * John Locke
    • content to glean what we can from experiments
  • * 8 December 2011 , BBC News, Iran shows film of captured US drone , available in http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16098562 :
    • He said Iran was "well aware of what priceless technological information" could be gleaned from the aircraft.
  • To frugally accumulate resources from low-yield contexts.
    • He gleaned a living from newspaper work for a few months, but in the summer went to a fishing village […] where […] he wrote his great historical drama, "Master Olof." (Translators Edith and Warner Oland on author .)
    Synonyms
    * (gather information) learn

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A collection made by gleaning.
  • * Dryden
    • The gleans of yellow thyme distend his thighs.

    Etymology 2

    Noun

  • (obsolete) cleaning; afterbirth
    • (Holland)
    (Webster 1913)

    Anagrams

    * * * *