earn

verb

1. 1

   To gain (success, reward, recognition) through applied effort or work.

   You can have the s'mores: you earned them, clearing the walkway of snow so well.

   With their hard work and dedication, they earned respect and a seat at the table.

   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.

   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.

2. 2

   To receive payment for work or for a role or position held (regardless of whether effort was applied or whether the remuneration is deserved or commensurate).

   He earns seven million dollars a year as CEO. My bank account is only earning one percent interest.

   She earns more than forty thousand dollars a year in passive income from her parents' investments — that's what she gets before she even gets out of bed or lifts a finger.

3. 3

   To receive payment for work.

   Now that you are earning, you can start paying me rent.

4. 4

   To cause (someone) to receive payment or reward.

   My CD earns me six percent!

   In that era, all their long, hard, dangerous labor in the mines barely earned them even enough to eat!

   '[T]hough I earned her a lot of money, I have nothing but regrets for what I did.'

5. 5

   To achieve by being worthy of.

   to earn a spot in the top 20

verb

1. 1

   archaicTo curdle (milk), especially in the cheesemaking process.

2. 2

   obsoleteOf milk: to curdle, especially in the cheesemaking process.

verb

1. 1

   obsoleteTo strongly long or yearn (for something or to do something).

   And ever as he rode, his hart did earne / To prove his puissance in battell brave.

2. 2

   obsoleteTo grieve.

   [M]y manly heart doth erne. […] Boy, briſsle thy Courage vp: For Falſtaffe hee is dead, and wee muſt erne therefore.

noun

1. 1

   Variant of erneAlternative form of erne

   They gleamed on many a dusky tarn , Haunted by the lonely earn

Forms

plural

earns

past tense

earned, earnt

past participle

earned, earnt

present participle

earning

third person singular

earns