What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Gain vs Level - What's the difference?

gain | level |

As adjectives the difference between gain and level

is that gain is straight, direct; near; short while level is the same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground.

As nouns the difference between gain and level

is that gain is the act of gaining while level is a tool for finding whether a surface is level, or for creating a horizontal or vertical line of reference.

As verbs the difference between gain and level

is that gain is to acquire possession of what one did not have before while level is to adjust so as to make as flat or perpendicular to the ground as possible.

As a preposition gain

is against.

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) ----

    level

    English

    (wikipedia level)

    Adjective

    (er)
  • The same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground.
  • * Milton
  • the smooth and level pavement
  • At the same height as some reference; constructed as level with .
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=14 citation , passage=Nanny Broome was looking up at the outer wall. Just under the ceiling there were three lunette windows, heavily barred and blacked out in the normal way by centuries of grime. Their bases were on a level with the pavement outside, a narrow way which was several feet lower than the road behind the house.}}
  • Unvaried in frequency.
  • Calm.
  • In the same position or rank.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Young boys and girls / Are level now with men.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=October 22, author=Sam Sheringham
  • , title=Aston Villa 1 - 2 West Brom, work=BBC Sport citation , passage=After a poor start to the season, Roy Hodgson's men are now unbeaten in four matches and 10th in the Premier League table, level with Aston Villa on 11 points.}}
  • Straightforward; direct; clear.
  • * M. Arnold
  • a very plain and level account
  • Well balanced; even; just; steady; impartial.
  • a level''' head; a '''level understanding
  • * Shakespeare
  • a level consideration
  • (phonetics) Of even tone; without rising or falling inflection.
  • Antonyms

    * unbalanced * uneven * tilted

    Derived terms

    * level playing field * dead level

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A tool for finding whether a surface is , or for creating a horizontal or vertical line of reference.
  • A distance relative to a given reference elevation.
  • Degree or amount.
  • * , chapter=17
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=This time was most dreadful for Lilian. Thrown on her own resources and almost penniless, she maintained herself and paid the rent of a wretched room near the hospital by working as a charwoman, sempstress, anything. In a moment she had dropped to the level of a casual labourer.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-05-17, author=George Monbiot, authorlink=George Monbiot
  • , title=Money just makes the rich suffer, volume=188, issue=23, page=19, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) citation , passage=In order to grant the rich these pleasures, the social contract is reconfigured. […]  The public realm is privatised, the regulations restraining the ultra–wealthy and the companies they control are abandoned, and Edwardian levels of inequality are almost fetishised.}}
  • (computer science) Distance from the root node of a tree structure.
  • (gaming) One of several discrete segments of a game generally increasing in difficulty. Often numbered. Often, each level occupies different physical space (levels don't require any direct physical relationship to each other, e.g. vertically stacked, horizontally chained, etc).
  • (gaming) A numeric value that quantifies a character's experience and power.
  • A floor of a multi-storey building.
  • (British) an area of almost perfectly flat land.
  • Derived terms

    * bonus level * dead level * on the level * spirit level * split level * to the next level

    See also

    *

    Verb

  • To adjust so as to make as flat or perpendicular to the ground as possible.
  • :
  • To destroy by reducing to ground level; to raze.
  • :
  • *(John Dryden) (1631-1700)
  • *:He levels mountains and he raises plains.
  • (lb) To progress to the next level.
  • :
  • To aim or direct (a weapon, a stare, an accusation, etc).
  • :
  • *(John Stow) (c.1525–1605)
  • *:Bertram de Gordon, standing on the castle wall, levelled a quarrel out of a crossbow.
  • *
  • *:But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. ¶The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window […], and a 'bead' could be drawn upon Molly, the dairymaid, kissing the fogger behind the hedge, little dreaming that the deadly tube was levelled at them.
  • To make the score of a game equal.
  • *{{quote-news, year=2012, date=April 9, author=Mandeep Sanghera, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Tottenham 1-2 Norwich , passage=Holt was furious referee Michael Oliver refused to then award him a penalty after Ledley King appeared to pull his shirt and his anger was compounded when Spurs immediately levelled .}}
  • To levy.
  • *2007 , Mary Jacoby, EU investigators endorse charges against Intel , Wall Street Journal Europe, 17 January, p.32, col.5:
  • *:Ultimately, Ms. Kroes [European Union Antitrust Commissioner] could level a fine and order Intel to change its business practices.
  • (lb) To bring to a common level or plane, in respect of rank, condition, character, privilege, etc.
  • :
  • To adjust or adapt to a certain level.
  • :
  • *(Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
  • *:For all his mind on honour fixed is, / To which he levels all his purposes.
  • Derived terms

    * level out * level up * level with someone