profit
/ˈprɒfɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈprɑːfɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈprä-fət/ (ame, mw)
profit — noun
- profitsingular
- profitsplural
1. the amount of money left after a company or person subtracts all the expenses of
the amount of money left after a company or person subtracts all the expenses of making or selling something from the total money received
The bakery's annual profit rose by fifteen percent after they started selling online.
annual profit / profit rises by [number]%
After paying the staff and buying ingredients, the restaurant only made a small profit last month.
Ayana expects to see a healthy profit from the new housing project within three years.
Niran's toy company used its profit to buy new assembly machines for the warehouse.
- loss
the opposite financial result when costs exceed income
文法句型
profit + of + amount
a profit
profits (plural)
用法筆記
Often used in business and finance. Countable when referring to a specific amount ('a profit of $50,000') or to different profit streams ('the company's profits from three divisions'). Uncountable when used as a general concept ('We need to focus on profit').
常見錯誤
2. the situation in which a business earns more money than it spends, especially wh
the situation in which a business earns more money than it spends, especially when described using phrases such as 'turn a profit' or 'show a profit'
The local bookstore finally turned a profit after three difficult years of low sales.
turn a profit — fixed phrase for becoming profitable
Jiwoo's online clothing store began showing a profit just six months after opening.
After a quiet winter, the Trang family's pho restaurant struggled to return to profit until the spring tourists arrived.
With careful planning and lower rent, the café managed to show a small profit by summer.
- profitability
the noun form describing the state of being profitable rather than the transition
- break-even
related but different — break-even is when costs equal income (zero profit), not positive profit
文法句型
turn a profit
show a profit
return to profit
用法筆記
This sense appears almost exclusively within a small set of fixed verb phrases: 'turn a profit,' 'show a profit,' 'return to profit,' and 'make a profit.' The focus is on the transition from loss or break-even to a profitable state.
常見錯誤
3. something of value, such as personal growth or useful knowledge, that you get by
something of value, such as personal growth or useful knowledge, that you get by choosing to do something in a certain way
Heather read the old letters purely out of curiosity, not for any personal profit.
for [one's] profit — non-financial benefit
Astrid gained little profit from studying until dawn, since she slept through most of the exam.
gained little profit from [activity] — non-financial benefit
Sirin saw the volunteer trip as a chance for personal profit through meeting new people and learning new skills.
During the review, the leader explained the profit in having designers and engineers share their ideas.
- loss
when something is wasted or no benefit is gained
- disadvantage
the opposite of advantage
文法句型
profit from + noun
for + possessive + profit
用法筆記
Uncountable only in this sense. Used in formal or thoughtful contexts when the benefit is not measured in money. More common in British English than American English.
常見錯誤
profit — verb
- profitpresent simple I / you / we / they
- profits3rd person singular
- profiting-ing form
- profitedpast simple
1. to earn financial gain from a business activity, investment, or sale after all c
to earn financial gain from a business activity, investment, or sale after all costs are deducted
The small farm profited by selling organic vegetables directly to local families at the market.
profit by selling [product] — financial gain through commerce
Ziad's investment in solar energy shares profited when clean energy demand rose sharply.
The Minho Seaside Hotel profited from the rise in tourism during the summer holiday season on the Algarve coast.
A local delivery app startup profited from the rapid shift to online ordering and contactless payments across the city.
- make money
less formal; broader — can include salary
- net
specifically means profit after all deductions
- earn
broader; includes wages, not just business profit
- lose money
when costs exceed income
文法句型
profit from + noun
profit by + gerund
用法筆記
The subject is typically a business, investor, or person engaged in commerce. Followed by 'from' (before a noun) or 'by' (before a gerund) to indicate the source of financial gain. Unlike verb sense 2, the benefit here is always monetary.
常見錯誤
2. to bring a helpful result or advantage to someone; to serve the interest of some
to bring a helpful result or advantage to someone; to serve the interest of someone
It will profit you to learn basic computer skills before applying for an office job.
formal construction: it profits + person + to-infinitive
Reema wondered what could profit a child more than a good education at a young age.
The agreement profited both sides by bringing new customers to each store.
It profited Kofi's grocery store little to stop stocking vegetables, as many neighbors took their business to the market instead.
- harm
to cause damage or disadvantage
文法句型
profit + someone
it profits + someone + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Formal and somewhat dated in modern spoken English. Most often found in fixed constructions such as 'it profits someone to do something' or 'what profits it...' In contemporary writing, 'benefit' or 'help' are more common alternatives.
常見錯誤
3. to receive a helpful or valuable result from a situation, action, or experience
to receive a helpful or valuable result from a situation, action, or experience
Sumin profited greatly from attending the three-day workshop on public speaking.
profit from [experience] — source of benefit
Young tennis players can profit by watching how experienced athletes like Christopher handle pressure during tie-break points.
The marine biology team profited from having clear sampling goals at the start of their coral reef study.
Maeve felt she had profited from the long conversation with her grandmother about their family history.
- lose
when an opportunity for benefit is missed
文法句型
profit from + noun
profit by + gerund
用法筆記
Always followed by 'from' (before a noun phrase) or 'by' (before a gerund) to indicate the source of benefit. The subject is usually a person or group that gains something non-financial, such as knowledge, skill, or insight.