(a) To exert effort, strive; strive (after or for sth.); (b) to suffer (with an illness); also, ?cause (one’s flesh) to suffer, belabor [2nd quot.]; (c) to struggle against an opponent or opposing force, contend; engage in armed conflict, war against a foe; also fig. and in fig. context; ~ ayen (bitwene, toyenes, with); (d) ?to give utterance to one’s distress, complain [perh. confused with weinen v.; could also be construed as fig. of sense 10.(d)].

(a) To take (a physical object, substance, etc.) into one’s hand or under one’s control, get; procure (a physical object, substance, etc.) by effort or ingenuity, obtain by exertion; also, contrive to obtain (coal) by digging [quot. 1447]; (b) to take possession of (sth.) by aggressive action, take forcefully; (c) to be allotted one’s portion (of sth.) [1st quot.]; receive (sth. proffered), accept; also, be assigned (property) by legal action or decree, be ceded; (d) to be awarded (a physical token indicating the bestowal of an honor); receive (a prize), get (a reward) for performing a task; also fig. and in fig. context;—also without obj. [quot. c1475]; ~ coroune (shone, spores, etc.).

(a) To derive a financial benefit, make a profit, get a return on an investment; accrue property or wealth, prosper; also in fig. context; (b) to earn a salary, an income, emolument, etc. with one’s labor, make a living, be gainfully employed; ppl. winninge as adj.: gainful, lucrative; (c) to be productive, generate wealth or things of value; (d) to exact extortionate profits; benefit materially by usurious practices or sharp dealings; ppl. winninge as adj.: inappropriately lucrative, grasping.

(a) To amass (a store of treasure or money), accumulate (riches); make (profits, a certain sum of money, etc.); (b) to earn (one’s keep), make (one’s living); bring in (a set amount) as a regular stipend, wage, fee, etc.; (c) to produce (sth., one’s sustenance) by toil; also, replace (squandered wealth or property) through productive labor; (d) to get (material wealth, money, a valuable object) by usurious practices or morally dubious means; also fig. [quot. a1450]; ~ falsli (wikkedli), ~ thurgh thin gile, ~ with wrong, etc.; ivel wonnen thing, ill-gotten gains.

(a) To beget (offspring), give rise to (a lineage); also fig.; also, cause (a child) to be begotten [quot. a1325]; (b) ?to build (a structure), rear.

(a) To derive a nonmaterial benefit, profit morally, spiritually, or psychologically [quots. c1400, a1425, & a1470, 1st]; gain (a nonmaterial benefit, an advantage, good fortune, etc.); ~ ayen, recover (a lost spiritual good); (b) to garner (praise, esteem, etc.); get (fame, honor, glory, etc.) by one’s accomplishments or virtue; also, be favored with (someone’s affections, allegiance, etc.), win (love, someone’s heart, etc.); loves wonnen, requited loves, successful suits; (c) to incur (someone’s wrath, shame, dishonor, a penalty, etc.), earn by misdeeds or wickedness; (d) to get (mercy, pardon, succor, etc.) by supplication, esp. for oneself; obtain (leave, etc.) by petition; contrive to get (access to a place, a glimpse into a place, time or opportunity to do sth., etc.) by some maneuver; also, procure (reconciliation, redress, spiritual well-being, etc.) for someone or for oneself; also, recover (bliss, spiritual healing, etc.); ~ ayen; (e) to be granted (salvation, heavenly bliss, etc.) through God’s grace, merit with one’s good works [sometimes difficult to distinguish from sense 11c.(c)]; also, be allotted (one’s destiny) by the gods [quot. c1450]; (f) arveð (ethe) winne, hard (easy) to obtain [cp. eth-winne adj.].

(a) To gain territory by military action, conquer [quots. c1325, a1387, & a1450, 1st]; take possession or control of (territory, a realm, city, fortification, etc.) by military conquest, capture; also in fig. context; (b) to seize (booty, spoils, etc.) from a conquered enemy; take (a trophy from a defeated foe); also, take (an enemy’s life) in battle [quot. c1330 Tristrem]; (c) to seize or regain (political power, one’s sovereignty) by military effort; also in fig. context; also, gain the right to exact (tribute) [last quot.]; (d) ~ lond upon, ~ erthe on, to gain ground on (an enemy), have military success against; ~ lond (weies), make advances into hostile or defended territory; also fig.

(a) To gain (the prize) in a nonmilitary contest, take as one’s winnings; also in fig. context [quot. a1400]; also, in partitive construction: ~ of, get some of (an opponent’s goods); (b) to gain (a woman as one’s wife) by the successful performance of a task or by victory in a contest.

(a) To bring (a realm, rival king) under one’s sway, subdue; subjugate (a military rival to oneself); also in fig. context [1st quot.]; (b) to bring (sb., someone’s heart or will) under one’s control by deceit, blandishments, or enticements, win over; bend (sb.) to one’s will, put in thrall; attract (sb.), lure; entice (sb. to sth., sb. to do sth.), esp. by devious means; (c) to bring (sb., a realm) under one’s protection, usu. by military might or physical prowess; take (sb.) into one’s care; rescue (sb.), save; also, fig. of Christ: redeem (the world, mankind); ~ ayen; (d) to bring (sb., a people) under the protection or power of the church; win over (a soul), bring to salvation; convert (sb.) to Christianity; turn (sb. or a soul to God, God’s service, etc.);—also without obj.; (e) to bring (prey) into a trap or snare, take by cunning or skill; also, fig. entrap (sb.) by a trick or stratagem, dupe.

(a) To secure the services of (sb., a body of attendants), bring into one’s service; (b) to be awarded the hand of (a woman) in marriage, win as one’s wife [sometimes difficult to distinguish from sense 6b.(b)]; ~ to (unto) wif; (c) to make (an enemy, a friend), acquire someone as.

(a) To triumph in battle, be the victor [quots. c1400, a1450(a1338), & last]; triumph in (a battle), win; also in fig. context; (b) to be the winner of a game or joust; win (a game or tournament) [quots. 1st, c1460, & last]; (c) to be the successful party in a legal case; also, ?win (a case) [last quot.]; (d) to be the successful bettor in (a wager), win (a bet); ~ with, ?win (a bet) by putting up (a stake); (e) with somewhat diminished force: to prevail, be successful [occas. difficult to distinguish from sense 5.(a)]; ?also, persevere [1st quot.]; ~ and (or) lesen.

(a) To prevail (over an adversary) in combat, visit defeat (on one’s foes); also, get the better (of an opponent) in a nonmilitary contest; also, fig. of the moon: ?pull ahead in a struggle (against the dark); ppl. winninge as adj.: assailing, attacking;—used in fig. context; (b) to vanquish (a foe), defeat, overcome; also in fig. context; also, capture or fell (an enemy) on the battlefield; (c) to best (an opponent) in a nonmilitary contest, outdo; (d) fig. to overcome (a powerful emotion, desire), master; (e) ?to cross (a river), succeed in passing;—used in fig. context.

In misc. phrases related to one or more of the previous senses: (a) ~ degre (the gre), ~ (the) pris, ~ the thro (gerlond), etc., to triumph in a struggle, conflict, contest, etc., gain the victory; also, achieve fame; gain victory (over an opponent, in a tournament); ~ the feld, take control of a battlefield; achieve victory on the field, carry the day; also, triumph (over a foe); (b) ~ (the) maistrie, to prevail by military or physical force, achieve victory; also, gain the upper hand in a struggle, clash of wills, or dispute [see also maistri(e n. 1.(d)]; also, get the better (of an opponent or a foe); gain control (of an enemy’s realm), conquer; impose one’s will (on a council) [quot. c1400(?a1300)]; (c) ~ (the) victorie, ~ the victoire, to triumph in a struggle, conflict, contest, etc., gain the victory; also, win victory (in a battle); gain superiority (over an enemy), triumph; also in fig. context; (d) to) ~ al the world, al this world to ~, al engelond to ~, etc., to gain the whole world (all England);—used chiefly in hyberbolic negative assertions; (e) ~ carping, to regain one's power of speech; (f) ~ lif, to preserve (one’s own, an animal’s) life; (g) ~ lof, to gain the advantage of the wind; (h) ~ maidenhede, to take (a woman’s) virginity.

(a) To come or go, proceed, make one’s way; also, go (toward a place), arrive (at a place); manage to get (inside a place, through an opening, etc.); get access (to sb. or sth.); also in fig. context;—also refl.; ~ in, penetrate (wood) [quot. a1425 NPass.]; also, fig. of Jesus: enter (the Virgin Mary’s womb); ~ to forto fighten, be in a position to fight; (b) ben wonnen, = (a); (c) to reach (a specified point, destination, etc.), arrive at; also, extend to (a specified point); (d) to go away from somewhere, depart; also, pass away [quot. a1500]; ~ awei; ~ awei from, ~ from (oute of), escape from (sb., a place, a situation), extricate oneself from;—also refl.; also, emerge from (a state); be cut off from or deprived of (mercy) [quot. a1400]; (e) ~ on (upo), to get up on or onto (one’s feet), rise to; ~ up, get up, arise; also, mount a horse;—also refl.; climb up [quot. c1450 Siege Jerus.(1) vr.]; of a plant: ?extend upward, grow tall [quot. ?1440]; ~ (up) upon, mount (a horse); also, scale (a wall) [quot. c1450 Siege Jerus.(1)]; (f) of a process: ?to be initiated, proceed.

(a) To convey (sth. somewhere), bring (sb. to or into a place); also fig.; ~ awei (awei-ward, oute of wei), lead (sb.) away, take away; also, lure (sb., an animal) away; also, bring (sb. out of a state or condition) [quot. c1450(a1425)]; (b) to displace (sb. or sth.) by physical exertion, esp. forcefully, dislodge, remove; also, pull (sb. to his feet) [last quot.]; ~ awei (oute); ~ up, fling up (a gate); also, refl. snatch up (a weapon); (c) to put (on or off clothing); ben wonnen, be dressed (in someone else’s garments).

(a) To achieve success [quot. a1420]; accomplish (sth.), do; bring (sth.) about, contrive (that sth. should be so or occur); also, with inf.: manage (to do sth.); (b) ~ to (in-to), to attain to (a state or condition), arrive at, achieve; ~ of elde, come of age; (c) to attain to (a state or condition), arrive at; come to the practice of (a virtue, virtuous living, etc.); also, incur (death); (d) ~ to (til, unto), to attain to (heaven), aspire to, reach; (e) to enter into communion with (God or Christ), reach, find; also, come to (hell, heaven, etc.), earn a place in [cp. sense 5.(d)].

In surnames.