To receive money, praise, or another reward because of your work or actions.
From Old English 'earnian' meaning 'to deserve, to gain as a result of labor'. It is related to ideas of harvest and reward after effort.
To earn something is the opposite of getting it by luck; it’s tied to cause and effect. That’s why we say 'you earned it' with extra respect—it recognizes the invisible effort behind the result.
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