net
/nɛt/ noun, verb, adjective, adverb, proper noun
Forms nets netting netted the Net nett 'Net
- noun A mesh of string, cord or rope. “a hairnet; a mosquito net; a tennis net”
- noun A device made from such mesh, used for catching fish, butterflies, etc.
- noun A device made from such mesh, generally used for trapping something.
- noun Anything that has the appearance of such a device. “Petri net”
- noun (by extension) A trap. “caught in the prosecuting attorney's net”
- noun (geometry) Any set of polygons joined edge to edge that, when folded along the edges between adjoining polygons so that the outer edges touch, form a given polyhedron.
- noun A system that interconnects a number of users, locations etc. allowing transport or communication between them.
- noun (electronics) A conductor that interconnects two or more component terminals.
- verb (transitive) To catch by means of a net.
- verb (transitive, figuratively) To catch in a trap, or by stratagem.
- verb To enclose or cover with a net. “Net the cherry trees to keep birds out.”
- verb (transitive, soccer) To score (a goal). “Evans netted the winner in the 80th minute.”
- verb (tennis) To hit the ball into the net.
- verb To form a netting or network; to knit.
- adjective Free from extraneous substances; pure; unadulterated; neat. “net wine”
- adjective Remaining after expenses or deductions. “net profit; net weight”
- adjective Final; end. “net result; net conclusion”
- adjective (obsolete) Good, desirable; clean, decent, clear.
- adverb After expenses or deductions. “You'll have $5000 net.”
- noun The amount remaining after expenses or other kinds of deductions are subtracted. “Our net on that transaction was only fourteen dollars.”
Synonyms
reticulation snare development mesh network trap catch ensnare entrap clear take-home internet cyberspace net income net profit lucre profit profits earnings meshing meshwork sack sack up web nett final last
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English net, from Old English net, nett, from Proto-West Germanic *nati, from Proto-Germanic *natją (“net”), from Proto-Indo-European *neHd- (“to knot, turn, twist”).
Cognate with North Frisian näät (“net”), Saterland Frisian Nät (“net”), West Frisian and Dutch net (“net”), German and Luxembourgish Netz (“net”), Yiddish נעץ (nets, “net”), Danish, Elfdalian, Faroese, and Icelandic net (“net”), Norwegian Bokmål nett (“net”), Norwegian Nynorsk net, nett (“net”), Swedish nät (“net”), Gothic 𐌽𐌰𐍄𐌹 (nati, “net”).
From Middle English net, nette, from Old French net, from Latin nitidus. Doublet of neat and nitid.
Borrowed from Middle French nettoyer (“to cleanse”).
Shortening.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A fabric of twine, thread, or the like, wrought or woven into meshes, and used for catching fish, birds, butterflies, etc.
- noun Anything designed or fitted to entrap or catch; a snare; any device for catching and holding.
- verb To make into a net; to make n the style of network; as, to net silk.
- verb To take in a net; to capture by stratagem or wile.
Etymology [AS. net; akin to D. net, OS. net, netti, OHG. nezzi, G. netz, Icel. & Dan. net, Sw. nät, Goth. nati; of uncertain origin.]
Etymology [F. See Neat clean.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “net”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details