Headway Word of the Week
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earn
To earn means to get money by working or from an investment.
- David Beckham earns £50,000 a day!
- The interest earned on my account has been re-invested.
It can also mean to get what you deserve for working hard or achieving things in life.
- Congratulations on your promotion! You've earned it.
- earn your keep
( = work to deserve being looked after)
After university, I went back to live with my parents, but my father told me I couldn't stay there for nothing. I had to earn my keep by doing jobs about the house. - earn a living
( = earn enough to live on)
These days it's difficult to earn a living as an artist. - earn respect
( = do something to deserve it)
As a manager, the first thing you must do is earn the respect of your employees.
- a high earner
( = somebody who has a very high salary) - a wage earner
( = somebody who regularly earns money by working) - average earnings
( = the average amount of money that people are paid) - unearned income
( = money that you get, but not from working) - a nice little earner
( = an activity that pays well, but doesn't involve a lot of hard work) - a well-earned rest/break
( = a rest or break that you really deserve)
Win means to get something as a prize in a competition. It does not mean to get money for working.
- Brazil won the World Cup.
- Aunt Anne won £1 million on the lottery.
- Uncle Frank earns £30,000 a year from his job. (not wins)
- gain
- deserve
- receive
- profit
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