Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Win
Win
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Won
, Obs.
Wan
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Winning
.] [OE. ]
winnen
, AS. winnan
to strive, labor, fight, endure; akin to OFries. winna
, OS. winnan
, D. winnen
to win, gain, G. gewinnen
, OHG. winnan
to strive, struggle, Icel. vinna
to labor, suffer, win, Dan. vinde
to win, Sw. vinna
, Goth. winnan
to suffer, Skr. van
to wish, get, gain, conquer. √138. Cf. Venerate
, Winsome
, Wish
, Wont
, Adj.
1.
To gain by superiority in competition or contest; to obtain by victory over competitors or rivals;
“This city for to win.” as, to
win
the prize in a gate; to win
money; to win
a battle, or to win
a country. Chaucer.
“Who thus shall Canaan win.” Milton.
Thy well-breathed horse
Impels the flying car, and
Impels the flying car, and
wins
the course. Dryden.
2.
To allure to kindness; to bring to compliance; to gain or obtain, as by solicitation or courtship.
Thy virtue
wan
me; with virtue preserve me. Sir P. Sidney.
She is a woman; therefore to be
won
. Shakespeare
3.
To gain over to one’s side or party; to obtain the favor, friendship, or support of; to render friendly or approving;
as, to
. win
an enemy; to win
a jury4.
To come to by toil or effort; to reach; to overtake.
[Archaic]
Even in the porch he him did
win
. Spenser.
And when the stony path began,
By which the naked peak they
Up flew the snowy ptarmigan.
By which the naked peak they
wan
,Up flew the snowy ptarmigan.
Sir W. Scott.
Win
,Verb.
I.
To gain the victory; to be successful; to triumph; to prevail.
Nor is it aught but just
That he, who in debate of truth hath
should
That he, who in debate of truth hath
won
,should
win
in arms. Milton.
To win of
, to be conqueror over.
[Obs.]
Shak.
– To win on
or To win upon
(a)
To gain favor or influence with.
“You have a softness and beneficence winning on the hearts of others.” Dryden.
(b)
To gain ground on.
“The rabble . . . will in time win upon power.” Shak.
Webster 1828 Edition
Win
WIN
,Verb.
T.
1.
To gain by success in competition or contest; as, to win the prize in a game; to win money; to win a battle, or to win a country. Battles are won by superior strength or skill.--Who thus shall Canaan win.
2.
To gain by solicitation or courtship.3.
To obtain; to allure to kindness or compliance. Thy virtue won me. Win your enemy by kindness.4.
To gain by persuasion or influence; as, an orator wins his audience by argument. The advocate has won the jury.And Mammon wins his way, where seraphs might despair.
WIN
,Verb.
T.
1.
To gain the victory.Nor is it aught but just that he, who in debate of truth hath won, should win in arms.
To win upon, to gain favor or influence; as, to win upon the heart or affections.
2.
To gain ground.The rabble will in time win upon power.
To win of, to be conqueror.
