1 [U] a type of material that is made of string, thread or wire woven or tied together, with small spaces in between:
net curtains
seealsoFISHNET, NETTING
2 [C] (especially in compounds) a piece of net used for a particular purpose, such as catching fish or covering sth:
fishing nets * a mosquito net (= used to protect you from mosquitoes)
seealsoHAIRNET, SAFETYNET
3 (the net) [sing.] (in football, etc.) the frame covered in net that forms the goal:
to kick / hit the ball into the back of the net
4 (the net) [sing.] (in tennis, etc.) the piece of net between the two players that the ball goes over:
She hit her second serve straight into the net.
5 (the Net) (informal) = THEINTERNET
IDIOMS see CASTv., SLIPv., SPREADv.
adjective (BrE also nett)
1 [usuallybeforenoun] a net amount of money is the amount that remains when nothing more is to be taken away:
a net profit of ｣500 * net income / earnings (= after tax has been paid) * What do you earn net of tax?
compareGROSS
2 [onlybeforenoun] the net weight of sth is the weight without its container or the material it is wrapped in:
450 gms net weight
compareGROSS
3 [onlybeforenoun] final, after all the important facts have been included:
The net result is that small shopkeepers are being forced out of business. * Canada is now a substantial net importer of medicines (= it imports more than it exports). * a net gain
net adverb:
a salary of $50000 net * Interest on the investment will be paid net (= tax will already have been taken away).
compareGROSS
verb (-tt-) [VN]
1 to earn an amount of money as a profit after you have paid tax on it:
The sale of paintings netted ｣17000.
2 to catch sth, especially fish, in a net
3 to catch sb or obtain sth in a skilful way:
A swoop by customs officers netted a large quantity of drugs.
4 (especially BrE) to kick or hit a ball into the goal
SYNSCORE:
He has netted 21 goals so far this season.
5 to cover sth with a net or nets:
It is a good idea to net the strawberry plants.
