retain
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About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.re·tain
transitive verb \ri-ˈtān\Definition of RETAIN
1
2
: to hold secure or intact
Examples of RETAIN
- A landlord may retain part of your deposit if you break the lease.
- They insisted on retaining old customs.
- You will retain your rights as a citizen.
- The TV show has retained its popularity for many years.
- The company's goal is to attract and retain good employees.
- The team failed to retain him, and he became a free agent.
- They have decided to retain a firm to conduct a survey.
- You may need to retain an attorney.
Origin of RETAIN
Middle English reteinen, retainen, from Anglo-French retenir, reteigner, from Latin retinēre to hold back, restrain, from re- + tenēre to hold — more at thin
First Known Use: 15th century
Related to RETAIN
Rhymes with RETAIN
abstain, again, air lane, airplane, amain, arcane, arraign, attain, Bahrain, Bassein, Beltane, biplane, birdbrain, block plane, bloodstain, boat train, brain drain, bugbane, campaign, champagne, champaign, Champlain, checkrein, chicane, chilblain, choke chain, chow mein, cinquain, cocaine, Cockaigne, Coltrane, coxswain, complain, constrain, contain, cordwain, cowbane, crackbrain, demesne, deplane, destain, detain, detrain, devein, disdain, distain, distrain, dogbane, domain, drivetrain, dumb cane, edge-grain, Elaine, enchain, enplane, entrain, ethane, explain, eyestrain, fast lane, fleabane, floatplane, floodplain, food chain, forebrain, Fort Wayne, Gawain, germane, Great Dane, grosgrain, half plane, henbane, hindbrain, house-train, humane, Hussein, Igraine, immane, inane, ingrain, insane, jack plane, lamebrain, left brain, lightplane, lo mein, long-chain, Lorraine, maintain, marchpane, membrane, methane, midbrain, migraine, Montaigne, montane, moraine, mortmain, Moulmein, mundane, neck-rein, New Spain, obtain, octane, ordain, pertain, plain-Jane, profane, propane, ptomaine, purslane, quatrain, raise Cain, refrain, remain, restrain, retrain, right brain, romaine, sailplane, sea-lane, seaplane, seatrain, split-brain, sustain, tailplane, tearstain, terrane, Touraine, towplane, triplane, Ukraine, unchain, urbane, vervain, vicereine, villein, volplane, warplane, wave train, wolfsbane
re·tain
transitive verb \ri-ˈtān\ (Medical Dictionary)Medical Definition of RETAIN
1
: to hold or keep in <retain fluids>
2
: to keep in mind or memory
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