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net

Pronunciation: /nɛt/

The English word “net” has 20 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. A mesh of string, cord or rope.
  2. A device made from such mesh, used for catching fish, butterflies, etc.
  3. A device made from such mesh, generally used for trapping something.
  4. Anything that has the appearance of such a device.
  5. A trap.
  6. 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.
  7. A system that interconnects a number of users, locations etc. allowing transport or communication between them.
  8. A conductor that interconnects two or more component terminals.
  9. A framework backed by a mesh, serving as the goal in hockey, soccer, lacrosse, etc.
  10. A mesh stretched to divide the court in tennis, badminton, volleyball, etc.
  11. The area of the court close to the net (mesh stretched to divide the court).

verb

  1. To catch by means of a net.
  2. To catch in a trap, or by stratagem.
  3. To enclose or cover with a net.
  4. To score (a goal).
  5. To hit the ball into the net.
  6. To form a netting or network; to knit.

adjective

  1. Free from extraneous substances; pure; unadulterated; neat.
  2. Remaining after expenses or deductions.
  3. Final; end.

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”). Cognates 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…

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.