Webster's English Dictionary

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profit

1. prof.it \'pra:f-*t\ \-l*s\ n [ME, fr. MF, fr. L profectus advance, 
   profit, fr. profectus, pp. of] often attrib  proficere 1: a valuable return 
   : GAIN  2: the excess or returns over expenditure in a transaction or 
   series of tra nsactions; specif : the excess of the selling price of goods 
   over their cost 3: net income usu. for a given period of time  4: the ratio 
   of profit for a given year to the amount of capital invested o r to the 
   value of sales 5: the compensation accruing to entrepreneurs for the 
   assumption of risk in  business enterprise as distinguished from wages or 
   rent - prof.it.less aj
2. profit vi 1: to be of service or advantage : AVAIL  2: to derive benefit 
   : GAIN  : to be of service to : BENEFIT