(a) Acquisition, gain; also, something acquired or received, a possession; wealth, property, goods; fig. something possessed as a natural gift [quot.: Capgr.], something earned or deserved; ben of ~, to be wealthy; don ~, maken ~, purchase land, acquire property; ~ of penaunce, deserved torment; (b) the act of acquiring, procurement; also, illegal gain, graft, extortion; also in proverbial expressions; ~ bettre than rente, etc.; office of ~, the office of purveyor; gon abouten (wenden on) ~, to go about obtaining one's means of subsistence; (c) begging, entreaty; also, income or proceeds from charity, alms [quot.: a1425]; child of ~, ?a beggar child.

Booty, spoil; goods gained by pillage, plunder, or robbery; maken ~, to seize goods by robbery.

(a) A mercenary soldier; -- also coll.; man of ~, a mercenary, one who fights for booty; maken ~, to recruit (mercenaries); (b) wif o (of) ~, a concubine.

(a) Law Land or real estate acquired by means other than inheritance; on ~ wis, in the manner of saleable property; right (righte biwonnen, verrei) ~, legitimately owned, or legally obtained, property; (b) the act of buying real estate or of acquiring it by means other than inheritance; (c) an income derived from purchased land.

(a) Endeavor, effort, exertion; also, instigation, contrivance [quot.: c1330]; (b) course, end; maken same ~, have the same outcome.

As surname.