How to sign: obtain advantages, such as points, etc.
"The home team was gaining ground"; "After defeating the Knicks, the Blazers pulled ahead of the Lakers in the battle for the number-one playoff berth in the Western Conference";
Similiar / Same: pull ahead, make headway, get ahead, gain ground, win, advance
Within this category: score, steal
How to sign: earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages
"How much do you make a month in your new job?"; "She earns a lot in her new job"; "this merger brought in lots of money"; "He clears $5,000 each month";
Similiar / Same: earn, realise, pull in, bring in, realize, take in, make
Within this category: eke out, gross, profit, rake in, rake off, take home, yield
How to sign: reach a destination, either real or abstract
"We hit Detroit by noon"; "The water reached the doorstep"; "We barely made it to the finish line"; "I have to hit the MAC machine before the weekend starts";
Similiar / Same: reach, arrive at, attain, hit, make
Within this category: access, bottom out, breast, catch up, culminate, find, get through, ground, make, peak, scale, summit, top, top out