different between gainful vs gainsome

English

Alternative forms

• gainfull (archaic)

Etymology 1

From gain (“against, contrary”) +? -ful.

Adjective

gainful (comparative more gainful, superlative most gainful)

1. Contrary.
2. Disposed to taking advantage of.
3. Troublesome; fractious; hard to handle.

Etymology 2

From gain (“profit, foredeal”) +? -ful.

Adjective

gainful (comparative more gainful, superlative most gainful)

1. Providing gain; profitable.

   How can we find gainful employment with dignity for the uneducated?

Translations

Derived terms

• gainfully
• gainfulness

English

Etymology 1

From gain (“profit, advantage, foredeal, benefit”) +? -some.

Adjective

gainsome (comparative more gainsome, superlative most gainsome)

1. Marked by gain; gainful; profitable.
   • 1843, Julius Rubens Ames, Benjamin Lundy, The Legion of Liberty!:

     The cotton grower felt delight at the gainsome expansion of his cotton fields.

   • 2013 (original 1480), Sarah Annes Brown, Andrew Taylor, Ovid in English, 1480-1625. Part One: Metamorphoses:

     It not consisteth all of pleasant words, / More gainsome tricks are there still to be found; [...]

Etymology 2

From gain (“straight, direct, immediate, short”) +? -some.

Adjective

gainsome (comparative more gainsome, superlative most gainsome)

1. Well-formed; handsome; gainly.

Anagrams

• magnesio-