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Invent vs Earn - What's the difference?

invent | earn | Related terms |

In obsolete terms the difference between invent and earn

is that invent is to come upon; to find; to find out; to discover while earn is to grieve.

As verbs the difference between invent and earn

is that invent is to design a new process or mechanism while earn is to gain (success, reward, recognition) through applied effort or work.

As a noun earn is

alternative form of lang=en.

invent

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To design a new process or mechanism.
  • After weeks of hard work, I invented a new way to alphabetize matchbooks.
  • To create something fictional for a particular purpose.
  • I knew I had to invent an excuse, and quickly.
    We need a name to put in this form, so let's just invent one.
  • (obsolete) To come upon; to find; to find out; to discover.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , I.vi:
  • Far off he wonders, what them makes so glad, / If Bacchus merry fruit they did inuent [...].

    Synonyms

    * fangle * discover

    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 ----