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 Icelandic net (“net”), Norwegian Bokmål nett (“net”), Norwegian Nynorsk net, nett (“net”), Swedish nät (“net”), Gothic 𐌽𐌰𐍄𐌹 (nati, “net”).
A device made from such mesh, used for catching fish, butterflies, etc.
Then there came a reg'lar terror of a sou'wester same as you don't get one summer in a thousand, and blowed the shanty flat and ripped about half of the weir poles out of the sand. We spent consider'ble money getting 'em reset, and then a swordfish got into the pound and tore the nets all to slathers, right in the middle of the squiteague season.1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
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A device made from such mesh, generally used for trapping something.
The nets have to be checked to make sure that they are not tangled up and therefore useless, and the carcasses of the dead sharks are removed.1983, Richard Ellis, The Book of Sharks, Knopf, →ISBN, page 190:
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Anything that has the appearance of such a device.
Petri net
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Broadly A trap.
A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth a net for his feet.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs xxix:5:
caught in the prosecuting attorney's net
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Geometry, Mathematics, Sciences 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.
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A system that interconnects a number of users, locations etc. allowing transport or communication between them.
Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A framework backed by a mesh, serving as the goal in hockey, soccer, lacrosse, etc.
Wigan had N'Zogbia sent off late on but Squillaci headed into his own net to give the home side a deserved point.2010 December 29, Mark Vesty, “Wigan 2-2 Arsenal”, in BBC:
The striker headed the ball into the net to make it 1-0.
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports, Tennis A mesh stretched to divide the court in tennis, badminton, volleyball, etc.
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports, TennisBroadly The area of the court close to the net (mesh stretched to divide the court).
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 Icelandic net (“net”), Norwegian Bokmål nett (“net”), Norwegian Nynorsk net, nett (“net”), Swedish nät (“net”), Gothic 𐌽𐌰𐍄𐌹 (nati, “net”).
And now I am here, netted and in the toils.1814 July 7, [Walter Scott], Waverley; or, ’Tis Sixty Years Since. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC:
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To enclose or cover with a net.
Net the cherry trees to keep birds out.
Old Yew, which graspest at the stones That name the under-lying dead, Thy fibres net the dreamless head, Thy roots are wrapt about the bones.1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto II”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
Romeu then scored a penalty, Torres netted a header and Moses added the sixth from substitute Oscar's cross.2012, Chelsea 6-0 Wolves:
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports, Tennis To hit the ball into the net.
Azarenka whipped a sensational forehand around the net post to break for 2-0 in the second set, followed it up with a love hold and moved to 5-1 when Paszek netted a forehand.2011 June 28, David Ornstein, “Wimbledon 2011: Victoria Azarenka beats Tamira Paszek in quarters”, in BBC Sport:
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To form a netting or network; to knit.
I was shown into a pretty but rather close drawing-room, and there sat Agnes, netting a purse.1849 May – 1850 November, Charles Dickens, The Personal History of David Copperfield, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1850, →OCLC:
Her brest all naked, as net iuory, / Without adorne of gold or siluer bright […]1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC: