There are actually two primary definitions, hence why I asked:
to receive as return for effort and especially for work done or services rendered // to bring in by way of return
to come to be duly worthy of or entitled or suited to // to make worthy of or obtain for
Every major dictionary has some variation on both of these, including whatever duckduckgo uses
Edit, I looked up your reference and I find it interesting you chose the third definition listed by duckduckgo to highlight here. But my point stands and both are there. The other definition is derivative of the third.
How do you define “earn”?
aqqured though effort, if they had some morals* beforehand it would have taken effort to underpay that many people
Does it take effort to lose your morals?
So would you say the mugger that knocked you out and took your phone and wallet earned them? It was an effort after all.
According to the dictionary that duckduckgo uses:
To yield as return or profit
There are actually two primary definitions, hence why I asked:
Every major dictionary has some variation on both of these, including whatever duckduckgo uses
Edit, I looked up your reference and I find it interesting you chose the third definition listed by duckduckgo to highlight here. But my point stands and both are there. The other definition is derivative of the third.