See Also: earn(medicine)
Earn-out(money)
Earn-out(finance)
earn(1)(dictionary)
earn(2)(dictionary)
earn(dictionary)
earn(dictionary)
Earn - General(gambling)

earn(2) (iou)



earn verb1 trans.
[Old English earnian = Middle Low German arnen, Old High German arnen, arnon reap, from West Germanic, from base rel. to Old English esne labourer, man, Old High German esni, Gothic asneis hired labourer.]
Receive or be entitled to (money, wages, etc.) in return for work done or services rendered; bring in as income; obtain or deserve in return for efforts or merit. OE.
earn an honest penny: see HONEST adjective. earned income: from work or services; cf. UNEARNED 2. earn one's keep: see KEEP noun. pay-as-you-earn: see PAY-. save-as-you-earn: see SAVE verb 12.
E. Waugh Twenty pounds! Why, it takes me half a term to earn that. L. Hellman I earn a living as a carpenter. M. Gordon A child didn't have to earn its mother's love. absol.: C. Hampton If the public stop wanting me, I stop earning.
b. Of money etc. invested, an asset: gain as interest or profit. L19.
Of a quality, an action, etc.: acquire for a person (a name, reputation, reproach, etc.), incur. L16.
E. Waugh His comparative old age had earned him the sobriquet of 'uncle'.
Baseball. Score (a run) without any error by the fielding side. M19.
earner noun a person who or thing which earns; a profitable activity, esp. (colloq.) an easy means of making money: E17.