won1

[wuhn] /wʌn/
verb
1.
simple past tense and past participle of win.

won2

[wuhn, woo n, wohn] /wʌn, wʊn, woʊn/
verb (used without object), wonned, wonning. Archaic.
1.
to dwell; abide; stay.
Origin
before 900; Middle English wonen, Old English wunian; cognate with German wohnen; see wont

won3

[won] /wɒn/
noun, plural won.
1.
a paper money and monetary unit of North and South Korea, equal to 100 chon.
Origin
1915-20; < Korean wǒn < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese yuán yuan

win1

[win] /wɪn/
verb (used without object), won, winning.
1.
to finish first in a race, contest, or the like.
2.
to succeed by striving or effort:
He applied for a scholarship and won.
3.
to gain the victory; overcome an adversary:
The home team won.
4.
Slang. to be successful or competent and be acknowledged for it:
My sister wins at getting the biggest bargains.
Compare fail (def 9).
verb (used with object), won, winning.
5.
to succeed in reaching (a place, condition, etc.), especially by great effort:
They won the shore through a violent storm.
6.
to get by effort, as through labor, competition, or conquest:
He won his post after years of striving.
7.
to gain (a prize, fame, etc.).
8.
to be successful in (a game, battle, etc.).
9.
to make (one's way), as by effort or ability.
10.
to attain or reach (a point, goal, etc.).
11.
to gain (favor, love, consent, etc.), as by qualities or influence.
12.
to gain the favor, regard, or adherence of.
13.
to gain the consent or support of; persuade (often followed by over):
The speech won them over to our side.
14.
to persuade to marry; gain in marriage.
15.
British Mining.
  1. to obtain (ore, coal, etc.).
  2. to prepare (a vein, bed, mine, etc.) for working, by means of shafts or the like.
noun
16.
a victory, as in a game or horse race.
17.
the position of the competitor who comes in first in a horse race, harness race, etc.
Compare place (def 27b), show (def 27).
18.
Slang.
  1. a success, or something good:
    She was having a bad week, so she really needed a win.
    Compare fail (def 14a).
  2. the state or quality of being successful or good:
    There was so much win in last night’s episode!
    Compare fail (def 14b).
adjective
19.
Slang.
  1. successful or competent.
    Compare fail (def 19b).
  2. very good or of high quality; awesome:
    To hear him play, now that was win!
    Compare fail (def 19c).
interjection
20.
Slang. (used to acknowledge success, competence, etc.):
I just got tickets to the concert. Win!
Verb phrases
21.
win out, to win or succeed, especially over great odds; triumph:
His finer nature finally won out.
Idioms
22.
for the win, Slang. (used to express enthusiasm for someone or something that is very good, likely to succeed, etc.):
a plant-based diet, for the win!
Origin
before 900; Middle English winnen (v.), Old English winnan to work, fight, bear; cognate with German gewinnen, Old Norse vinna, Gothic winnan
Related forms
winnable, adjective
Synonyms
6. obtain, secure, acquire, achieve, reach, procure. See gain1 . 13. convince.

win2

[win] /wɪn/
verb (used with object), winned, winning. Scot. and North England
1.
to dry (hay, wood, etc.) by exposure to air and sun.
Origin
1550-60; perhaps variant of winnow
Examples from the web for won
  • New books have been written that have won their place in the list.
  • A modified division was created and won by jake as the sole entrant.
  • It has been won by some of the biggest names in the history of our sport.
  • He won all of his seven bouts there, including six by knockout.
  • He won one and lost five, it remains unclear whether any of those bouts involved payment.
  • Once the war was won, the continental army was largely disbanded.
  • He was a pioneer of colour cinematography and won many awards.
  • His men had won all nine of their tests during the southern hemisphere summer.
  • The whole village joined in and belle was thrilled when she won the race.
  • Never has the phrase he won the match singlehandedly been more appropriate.
British Dictionary definitions for won

won1

/wʌn/
verb
1.
the past tense of win1

won2

/wɒn/
noun (pl) won
1.
the standard monetary unit of North Korea, divided into 100 chon
2.
the standard monetary unit of South Korea, divided into 100 chon
Also called hwan
Word Origin
Korean wån

won3

/wʌn; wʊn; wəʊn/
verb wons, wonning, wonned
1.
(intransitive) (archaic) to live or dwell
Word Origin
Old English wunian to become accustomed to; related to win1

win1

/wɪn/
verb wins, winning, won
1.
(intransitive) to achieve first place in a competition
2.
(transitive) to gain or receive (a prize, first place, etc) in a competition
3.
(transitive) to succeed in or gain (something) with an effort: we won recognition
4.
win one's spurs
  1. to achieve recognition in some field of endeavour
  2. (history) to be knighted
5.
to gain victory or triumph in (a battle, argument, etc)
6.
(transitive) to earn or procure (a living, etc) by work
7.
(transitive) to take possession of, esp violently; capture: the Germans never won Leningrad
8.
when intr, foll by out, through, etc. to reach with difficulty (a desired condition or position) or become free, loose, etc, with effort: the boat won the shore, the boat won through to the shore
9.
(transitive) to turn someone into (a supporter, enemy, etc): you have just won an ally
10.
(transitive) to gain (the sympathy, loyalty, etc) of someone
11.
(transitive) to obtain (a woman, etc) in marriage
12.
(transitive)
  1. to extract (ore, coal, etc) from a mine
  2. to extract (metal or other minerals) from ore
  3. to discover and make (a mineral deposit) accessible for mining
13.
(informal) you can't win, an expression of resignation after an unsuccessful attempt to overcome difficulties
noun
14.
(informal) a success, victory, or triumph
15.
profit; winnings
16.
the act or fact of reaching the finishing line or post first
See also win out
Derived Forms
winnable, adjective
Word Origin
Old English winnan; related to Old Norse vinna, German gewinnen

win2

/wɪn/
verb (transitive) (Irish & Scot, Northern English, dialect) wins, winning, won, winned
1.
to dry (grain, hay, peat, etc) by exposure to sun and air
2.
a less common word for winnow
Word Origin
Old English, perhaps a variant of winnow
Word Origin and History for won

past tense and past participle of win, from Old English gewinnen, past participle of winnan.

win

v.

fusion of Old English winnan "struggle for, work at, strive, fight," and gewinnan "to gain or succeed by struggling, to win," both from Proto-Germanic *wenwanan (cf. Old Saxon winnan, Old Norse vinna, Old Frisian winna, Dutch winnen "to gain, win," Danish vinde "to win," Old High German winnan "to strive, struggle, fight," German gewinnen "to gain, win," Gothic gawinnen "to suffer, toil"). Perhaps related to wish, or from PIE *van- "overcome, conquer." Related: Won; winning.

Sense of "to be victorious" is recorded from c.1300. Breadwinner preserves the sense of "toil" in Old English winnan. Phrase you can't win them all (1954) first attested in Raymond Chandler. Winningest is attested by 1804.

n.

Old English winn "labor, strife, conflict," from the source of win (v.). Modern sense of "a victory in a game or contest" is first attested 1862, from the verb.

Related Abbreviations for won

WIN

  1. Weight-control Information Network
  2. Whip Inflation Now
  3. within (shortwave transmission)
  4. Work Incentive program
Idioms and Phrases with won
Encyclopedia Article for won

hwan

monetary units of South Korea and North Korea. The Bank of Korea has the exclusive authority to issue banknotes and coins for South Korea. Banknotes are issued in denominations ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 won. The notes are adorned on the obverse with early Yi (Choson) dynasty figures, including writers Yi Hwang (1,000-won note) and Yi I (5,000-won note) and King Sejong (10,000-won note), who reigned from 1419 to 1450. Coins range in value from 1 to 500 won. The new won was adopted in 1962, when the old won was replaced at a rate of 100 to 1.

Learn more about hwan with a free trial on Britannica.com