Attain vs. Earn

Attainverb

(transitive) To accomplish; to achieve.

‘To attain such a high level of proficiency requires hours of practice each day.’;

Earnverb

(transitive) To gain (success, reward, recognition) through applied effort or work.

‘You can have the s'mores: you earned them, clearing the walkway of snow so well.’;

Attainverb

To get at the knowledge of; to ascertain.

Earnverb

(transitive) To receive payment for work.

‘He earns seven million dollars a year as CEO.’; ‘My bank account is only earning one percent interest.’;

Attainverb

(transitive) To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at.

Earnverb

(intransitive) To receive payment for work.

‘Now that you are earning, you can start paying me rent.’;

Attainverb

(intransitive) To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.; to reach.

Earnverb

(transitive) To cause (someone) to receive payment or reward.

‘My CD earns me six percent!’;

Attainverb

To reach in excellence or degree; to equal.

Earnverb

(transitive) To achieve by being worthy of.

‘to earn a spot in the top 20’;

Attainverb

(obsolete) To overtake.

Earnverb

To curdle, as milk.

Attainverb

To achieve or accomplish, that is, to reach by efforts; to gain; to compass; as, to attain rest.

‘Is he wise who hopes to attain the end without the means?’;

Earnnoun

See Ern, n.

Attainverb

To gain or obtain possession of; to acquire.

Earnverb

To merit or deserve, as by labor or service; to do that which entitles one to (a reward, whether the reward is received or not).

‘The high reputeWhich he through hazard huge must earn.’;

Attainverb

To get at the knowledge of; to ascertain.

‘Not well attaining his meaning.’;

Earnverb

To acquire by labor, service, or performance; to deserve and receive as compensation or wages; as, to earn a good living; to earn honors or laurels.

‘I earn that [what] I eat.’; ‘The bread I have earned by the hazard of my life or the sweat of my brow.’;

Attainverb

To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at.

Earnverb

To grieve.

Attainverb

To overtake.

Earnverb

To long; to yearn.

‘And ever as he rode, his heart did earnTo prove his puissance in battle brave.’;

Attainverb

To reach in excellence or degree; to equal.

Earnverb

To curdle, as milk.

Attainverb

To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.; to reach.

‘If by any means they might attain to Phenice.’; ‘Nor nearer might the dogs attain.’; ‘To see your trees attain to the dignity of timber.’; ‘Few boroughs had as yet attained to power such as this.’;

Earnverb

earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages;

‘How much do you make a month in your new job?’; ‘She earns a lot in her new job’; ‘this merger brought in lots of money’; ‘He clears $5,000 each month’;

Attainverb

To come or arrive, by an effort of mind.

‘Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I can not attain unto it.’;

Earnverb

acquire or deserve by one's efforts or actions

Attainnoun

Attainment.

Earnverb

obtain (money) in return for labour or services

‘I earn £10 an hour working in the shop’; ‘he earns his living as a lorry driver’;

Attainverb

to gain with effort;

‘she achieved her goal despite setbacks’;

Earnverb

(of an activity) cause (someone) to obtain (money)

‘this latest win earned them $50,000 in prize money’;

Attainverb

reach a point in time, or a certain state or level;

‘The thermometer hit 100 degrees’; ‘This car can reach a speed of 140 miles per hour’;

Earnverb

(of capital invested) gain (money) as interest or profit

‘the dollars can be placed on deposit and earn interest’;

Attainverb

find unexpectedly;

‘the archeologists chanced upon an old tomb’; ‘she struck a goldmine’; ‘The hikers finally struck the main path to the lake’;

Earnverb

gain deservedly in return for one's behaviour or achievements

‘through the years she has earned affection and esteem’;

Attainverb

reach a destination, either real or abstract;

‘We hit Detroit by noon’; ‘The water reached the doorstep’; ‘We barely made it to the finish line’; ‘I have to hit the MAC machine before the weekend starts’;