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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Gain \Gain\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Gained} (g[=a]nd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Gaining}.] [From gain, noun but. prob. influenced by F. gagner to earn, gain, OF. gaaignier to cultivate, OHG. weidin[=o]n, weidinen to pasture, hunt, fr. weida pasturage, G. weide, akin to Icel. vei[eth]r hunting, AS. w[=a][eth]u, cf. L. venari to hunt, E. venison. See {Gain}, noun, profit.]
1. To get, as profit or advantage; to obtain or acquire by effort or labor; as, to gain a good living.
What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? --Matt. xvi. 26.
To gain dominion, or to keep it gained. --Milton.
For fame with toil we gain, but lose with ease. --Pope.
2. To come off winner or victor in; to be successful in; to obtain by competition; as, to gain a battle; to gain a case at law; to gain a prize.
3. To draw into any interest or party; to win to one's side; to conciliate.
If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. --Matt. xviii. 15.
To gratify the queen, and gained the court. --Dryden.
4. To reach; to attain to; to arrive at; as, to gain the top of a mountain; to gain a good harbor.
Forded Usk and gained the wood. --Tennyson.
5. To get, incur, or receive, as loss, harm, or damage. [Obs. or Ironical]
Ye should . . . not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. --Acts xxvii. 21.
{Gained day}, the calendar day gained in sailing eastward around the earth.
{To gain ground}, to make progress; to advance in any undertaking; to prevail; to acquire strength or extent.
{To gain over}, to draw to one's party or interest; to win over.
{To gain the wind} (Naut.), to reach the windward side of another ship.
Syn: To obtain; acquire; get; procure; win; earn; attain; achieve.
Usage: See {Obtain}. -- {To Gain}, {Win}. Gain implies only that we get something by exertion; win, that we do it in competition with others. A person gains knowledge, or gains a prize, simply by striving for it; he wins a victory, or wins a prize, by taking it in a struggle with others.
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