ENGLISH
REFERENCE

net

n. · v. · adj. · adv.
US //ˈnɛt// UK //nˈɛt// net
  1. 1 mesh material (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a material made of pieces of string or wire crossed together with holes between them.

    a fabric or structure of open mesh, typically made by knotting together cord, wire, or thread at regular intervals.

    Example

    The fisherman spent the afternoon repairing a large hole in his fishing net.

    Example

    The safety net was suspended ten metres below the high wire to protect the acrobats in the event of a fall.
  2. 2 sports equipment (n.)
    A2 Elementary Sport

    the barrier in the middle of a tennis court or the area where you score a goal in football.

    the mesh structure used to divide a court in sports like tennis or to capture the ball in goal-based sports.

    Example

    The striker kicked the ball hard into the back of the net to score the winning goal.

    Example

    The tennis player rushed to the net to finish the point with a decisive volley before his opponent could recover.
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  1. 3 the internet (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal Computing

    a short name for the internet.

    a common clipping for the Internet; often used with the definite article.

    Example

    I spent an hour surfing the net looking for cheap flights to Spain.

    Example

    The rapid expansion of the net has fundamentally altered how information is disseminated and consumed across global markets.
  2. 4 financial total (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the final amount of money left after you take away costs or taxes.

    the ultimate amount remaining after all necessary deductions, such as taxes or expenses, have been subtracted.

    Example

    After paying for the venue and the food, our net from the ticket sales was very small.

    Example

    The company reported a significant increase in its annual net, despite rising operational costs in the third quarter.
  3. 5 to catch (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to catch something using a net or a clever plan.

    to capture or trap an object or person, either literally with a mesh device or figuratively through a stratagem.

    Example

    The researchers managed to net several rare butterflies for their study.

    Example

    The police operation successfully netted several high-ranking members of the smuggling ring after months of surveillance.
  4. 6 to earn profit (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    to earn a specific amount of money as a final profit.

    to receive a sum of money as a clear profit after all expenses have been accounted for.

    Example

    The sale of the old house will net them a huge profit.

    Example

    The divestment of the subsidiary is expected to net the parent company over fifty million dollars in liquid assets.
  5. 7 after deductions (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    describes an amount of money that is left after taxes or costs are taken away.

    denoting the remaining value or weight after all deductions or the weight of the container have been excluded.

    Example

    Her net monthly income is much lower than her total salary because of taxes.

    Example

    The net weight of the product is clearly labelled on the packaging to distinguish it from the weight of the glass jar.

    Usage

    Usually placed before the noun.
  6. 8 final result (adv.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    the final result or amount after everything is considered.

    in a net manner; as a final result after all factors or deductions are considered.

    Example

    The project cost more than expected, but net, it was still a success.

    Example

    While some jobs were lost during the merger, the region gained positions net, resulting in a stronger local economy.
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