retain
UK /ɹɪˈteɪn/ · US /ɹəˈteɪn/ verb, noun
Forms retains retaining retained retainest retainedst retaineth
- verb Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.
- verb (education) To hold back (a pupil) instead of allowing them to advance to the next class or year; to keep back.
- verb Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain. “water retained by a dam”
- verb (medicine) To hold back (tissue or a substance, especially urine) in the body or a body organ.
- verb To hold (something) secure; to prevent (something) from becoming detached or separated.
- verb To keep (something) in control or possession; to continue having (something); to keep back.
- verb To keep (something) in the mind; to recall, to remember.
- verb To keep (something) in place or use, instead of removing or abolishing it; to preserve.
- noun An act of holding or keeping something; a possession, a retention.
- noun (collective) Synonym of retinue (“a group of attendants or servants, especially of someone considered important”).
Synonyms
retainal retaining retainment retinue continue keep keep on hold keep back hold back
Antonyms
Etymology
From Late Middle English reteinen, retein (“to continue to keep, retain; to continue to possess; to possess; to contain; to draw back, retire; to hold back, restrain; to keep in mind, remember; to take back, repossess; to appoint; to engage in one’s service, employ, hire”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman reteiner, retenir [and other forms], Middle French retenir, and Old French retenir (“to keep back, retain; to keep, maintain, preserve; to possess; to engage in one’s service, employ; to detain; to hold back, restrain; to remember”) (modern French retenir), from Vulgar Latin *retinīre, from Latin retinēre, the present active infinitive of retineō (“to keep or hold back, detain, retain; to hold in check, stop; to hold fast, maintain; to keep in mind, remember”) (compare Late Latin retineō (“to keep engaged in one’s service”)), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’) + teneō (“to grasp, hold; to hold fast, restrain; to possess; to keep in mind, remember”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to extend, stretch”)).
Etymology 1 sense 1.10 (“to declare (a sin) not forgiven”) is derived from John 20:23 in the Bible, in Late Latin quorum retinueritis, retenta sunt, and in Koine Greek ἄν τινων κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται: see the 1526 quotation.
* Italian retenere (obsolete), ritenere
* from Middle English retein, retain (“possession of a sum of money”) […]; and
* from the verb (see etymology 1).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To continue to hold; to keep in possession; not to lose, part with, or dismiss; to retrain from departure, escape, or the like.
- verb To keep in pay; to employ by a preliminary fee paid; to hire; to engage; as, to retain a counselor.
- verb To belong; to pertain. [Obs.]
- verb To keep; to continue; to remain. [Obs.] Donne.
Etymology [F. retainir, L. retinere; pref. re- re- + tenere to hold, keep. See Tenable, and cf. Rein of a bridle, Retention, Retinue.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “retain”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details