Gain vs Obtain - What's the difference?

Obtain is a synonym of gain.

In transitive terms the difference between gain and obtain

is that gain is to reach while obtain is to get hold of; to gain possession of, to procure; to acquire, in any way.

In intransitive terms the difference between gain and obtain

is that gain is to put on weight while obtain is to exist or be the case; to hold true, be in force.

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.

As a noun gain

is the act of gaining.

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) ----

obtain

English

Verb

(en verb)

To get hold of; to gain possession of, to procure; to acquire, in any way.

* 1526 , (William Tyndale), trans. Bible , Luke XVIII:

And a certayne ruler axed him: sayinge: Goode Master: what ought I to do, to obtaine eternall lyfe?

* 1814 , (Jane Austen), (Mansfield Park) :

Julia was quite as eager for novelty and pleasure as Maria, though she might not have struggled through so much to obtain them, and could better bear a subordinate situation.

*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-21, author=(Oliver Burkeman)

, volume=189, issue=2, page=48, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= The tao of tech , passage=But the real way to build a successful online business is to be better than your rivals at undermining people's control of their own attention. Partly, this is a result of how online advertising has traditionally worked: advertisers pay for clicks, and a click is a click, however it's obtained .}}

(obsolete) To secure (that) a specific objective or state of affairs be reached.

* 1722 , (Daniel Defoe), (Colonel Jack) :

he was condemned to die for the felony, and being so well known for an old offender, had certainly died, but the merchant, upon his earnest application, had obtained that he should be transported, on condition that he restored all the rest of his bills, which he had done accordingly.

(obsolete) To prevail, be victorious; to succeed.

* 1590 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queene) , III.2:

“O daughter deare!” (said she) “despeire no whit; / For never sore but might a salve obtain [...].”

* 1701 , (Jonathan Swift), Contests and Dissentions in Athens and Rome :

This, though it failed at present, yet afterward obtained , and was a mighty step to the ruin of the commonwealth.

(obsolete) To hold; to keep, possess or occupy.

* 1671 , (John Milton), (Paradise Regained) , Book I:

His mother then is mortal, but his Sire / He who obtains the monarchy of Heav'n, / And what will he not do to advance his Son?

To exist or be the case; to hold true, be in force.

* 1908 , (Jack London), (The Iron Heel) , ,

Even though the Pervaise confession had never come to light, no reasonable doubt could obtain ; for the act in question was on a par with countless other acts committed by the oligarchs, and, before them, by the capitalists.

* 1992 , (Neal Stephenson), (Snow Crash) , Bantam Spectra, p. 460,

But the hostage situation no longer obtains , and so Uncle Enzo feels it important to stop Rife now,