retain
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retain¹
- /ɹɪˈteɪn/ UK
- /ɹəˈteɪn/ US
- /ɹi-/ US
Rhymes with -eɪn
Where it comes from
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.
Cognates
* Catalan retenir
* Italian retenere (obsolete), ritenere
* Portuguese reter
* Spanish retener
verb retains · retaining · retained · retain
- Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop. Upon vvhich Prince Henry enraged, took up the Cheſs-board, and ſtruck the Dauphin vvith ſuch Fury on the Head, that he laid him bleeding on the Ground, and had killed him if his Brother Robert had not retained him, and made him ſenſible hovv much more it concerned him to make his Eſcape than purſue
- To hold back (a pupil) instead of allowing them to advance to the next class or year; to keep back.
- Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain. water retained by a dam
- To hold back (tissue or a substance, especially urine) in the body or a body organ.
- To hold (something) secure; to prevent (something) from becoming detached or separated.
- To keep (something) in control or possession; to continue having (something); to keep back. Robert of Artoys baniſht though thou be, / From Fraunce thy natiue Country, yet with vs, / Thou ſhalt retayne as great a Seigniorie: / For vve create thee Earle of Richmond heere, […]
- To keep (something) in the mind; to recall, to remember. Novv 'tis obvious enough to conceive, hovv much eaſier, all ſuch VVritings ſhould be Learnt and Remembred, in Verſe than in Proſe, […] by the order of Feet vvhich makes a great Facility of Tracing one VVord after another, by knovving vvhat ſort of Foot or Quantity, muſt neceſſarily have preceded or
- To keep (something) in place or use, instead of removing or abolishing it; to preserve. And yet leſte any manne ſhould bee offended (whom good reaſon might ſatiſfie) here be certayne cauſes rendered, why ſome of the accuſtomed Ceremonies be put awaye, and ſome be retayned and kept ſtill.
- To engage or hire (someone), especially temporarily. It is ſuch a Rarity as this that I ſavv at Vendome in France, vvhich they there pretend is a Tear that our Saviour ſhed over Lazarus, and vvas gather'd up by an Angel, vvho put it in a little Cryſtal Vial, and made a Preſent of it to Mary Magdalene. […] It is in the Poſſeſſion of a Benedictin Conven
- To employ (someone, especially a lawyer) by paying a retainer (“fee one pays to reserve another person's time for services”); specifically, to engage (a barrister) by making an initial payment to secure their services if needed. It is vvell knovvn thou retaineſt thy Lavvyers by the Year, ſo a freſh Lavv-Suit adds but little to thy Expences; […]
- To keep (someone) in one's pay or service; also, (chiefly historical) to maintain (someone) as a dependent or follower. [H]e entruſted the government of the province to Archas Martin and Lupicaire, tvvo mercenary Brabançons, vvhom he had retained in his ſervice.
- To control or restrain (oneself); to exercise self-control over (oneself).
- To keep (someone) in custody; to prevent (someone) from leaving. There vvith the Nymph his mother, like her thrall; / VVho ſore againſt his vvill did him retaine, / For feare of perill, vvhich to him mote fall, / Through his too ventrous provveſſe proued ouer all.
- To declare (a sin) not forgiven. Receave the holy gooſt: whoſoevers ſynnes ye remyt⸝ they are remitted vnto them: And whoſoevers ſynnes ye retayne⸝ they are retayned.
- To keep in control or possession; to continue having. [T]he ſpirit is exceedingly acid, and may be called a ſtrong and ſour Acetum Minerale; vvereas the fixt nitre has as ſtrong a taſte of ſalt of tartar as the ſpirit has of diſtilled vinegar: and yet theſe tvvo bodies, vvhoſe ſapours are ſo pungent, and ſo differing, do both ſpring from and unite into
- To have the ability to keep something in the mind; to use the memory. The things that make a good Judge, or good Interpreter of the Lavves, are, […] Fourthly, and laſtly, Patience to heare; diligent attention in hearing; and memory to retain, digeſt and apply vvhat he hath heard.
- Of a body or body organ: to hold back tissue or a substance.
- To refrain from doing something. [T]hey can ſcarce retaine from burſting foorth / In plaine reuolt.
- To be a dependent or follower to someone. He was reteynyng to Sergius Paulus, whiche was proconſull, that is to ſaye lieutenaunt, or the lorde deputie of that Yland, and was a wyſe man and of good experience.
- To continue, to remain. No more can impure man retaine and move / In that pure region of a vvorthy love: / Then earthly ſubſtance can unforc'd aſpire, / And leave his nature to converſe vvith fire: […]
retain²
- /ɹɪˈteɪn/ UK
- /ɹəˈteɪn/ US
- /ɹi-/ US
Rhymes with -eɪn
Where it comes from
Partly:
* from Middle English retein, retain (“possession of a sum of money”) […]; and
* from the verb (see etymology 1).
noun retains
- An act of holding or keeping something; a possession, a retention.
- Synonym of retinue (“a group of attendants or servants, especially of someone considered important”).
