gain ground1 MORE THAN BEFOREto make steady progress and become more popular, more successful etc 稳步发展,变得更受欢迎[更成功] The anti-smoking lobby has steadily gained ground in the last decade. 反吸烟游说团体在过去十年中持续发展壮大。
2 a) ADVANTAGEto become more successful 取得优势,变得更成功 It was feared that the extreme right would gain ground in the election. 人们担心极右翼势力会在选举中得势。
b) RIGHT/PROPERif an idea, belief etc gains ground, more people start to accept it 〔主张、信仰等〕普及,流行 His theories gradually gained ground among academics. 他的理论渐渐被学者们接受了。
c) to get closer to someone or something that you are competing with 追上,赶上〔竞争对手〕 gain ground• Martin also gained ground on Gordon, finishing sixth and moving within 87 points.• The fierce campaign by several anti-Maastricht movements has been gaining ground.• Nationalism has gained ground to the extent that it has begun to claim mainstream status.• For once, the index gained ground despite a decline in shares of Vodafone, the market's biggest stock.• Dole feels that Forbes is gaining ground.• The trend gained ground in the United States, where early symphony audiences ached to exude social refinement.• He was gaining ground on all of them, he had the beating of them yet.