win

/ˈwin/

Middle English winnen "to strive, struggle, obtain by exertion, earn with labor, gain, triumph," going back to Old English winnan "to labor, strive," going back to a Germanic verb base *wenu̯- (whence Old Saxon winnan "to struggle, suffer, acquire," Old High German, "to labor, struggle, rage," Old Norse vinna "to labor, suffer, gain," Gothic winnan "to suffer"); akin to Sanskrit vanoti "(s/he) demands, strives for, obtains," vanate "(s/he) shall obtain," Avestan vanaiti "(s/he) defeats"

verb

  1. to get possession of by effort or fortune

  2. to obtain by work : earn

  3. to gain in or as if in battle or contest

striving to win a living from the sterile soil

noun

  1. victory; especially : first place at the finish (as of a horse race)