Word: retain Part of Speech: verb 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. Cognates * Catalan retenir * Italian retenere (obsolete), ritenere * Portuguese reter * Spanish retener Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈteɪn/, /ɹəˈteɪn/, /ɹi-/ 1. Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop. Labels: transitive Example: 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 his Revenge, […] 2. Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop. Labels: transitive 3. Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain. Labels: transitive Example: water retained by a dam Example: [I]f diſtilled Vinegar or Aquafortis be povvred upon the povvder of Loadſtone, the ſubſiding povvder dryed, retaines ſome magneticall vertue, and vvill be attracted by the Loadſtone: […] 4. Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain. Labels: transitive 5. To hold (something) secure; to prevent (something) from becoming detached or separated. Labels: transitive 6. To keep (something) in control or possession; to continue having (something); to keep back. Labels: transitive Example: 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, […] Example: Then preacing to the pillour I repeated / The read thereof for guerdon of my paine, / And taking dovvne the ſhield, vvith me did it retaine. 7. To keep (something) in control or possession; to continue having (something); to keep back. Labels: transitive Example: 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 follovved the VVords vve retain and deſire to make up. Example: Or that ſvveet Song I heard vvith ſuch delight; / The ſame you ſung alone one ſtarry Night; / The Tune I ſtill retain, but not the VVords. 8. To keep (something) in place or use, instead of removing or abolishing it; to preserve. Labels: transitive Example: 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. Example: VVhich vvhen they found hovv ſtill I did retaine / Th' ambitious courſe vvherein I firſt beganne, / And laſtly felt, that vnder my diſdaine / Into contempt continually they ranne; / Take armes at once to remedy their vvrong, / VVhich their cold ſpirits had ſuffered but too long. 9. To engage or hire (someone), especially temporarily. Labels: transitive Example: 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 Convent, vvhich raiſes a conſiderable Revenue out of the Devotion that is paid to it, and has novv retain'd the learnedſt Father of their Order to vvrite in its Defence. 10. To engage or hire (someone), especially temporarily. Labels: transitive Example: It is vvell knovvn thou retaineſt thy Lavvyers by the Year, ſo a freſh Lavv-Suit adds but little to thy Expences; […] Example: "Mr. Pickwick is the defendant in Bardell and Pickwick, Serjeant Snubbin," said Perker. / "I am retained in that, am I?" said the Sergeant. / "You are, Sir," replied Perker. 11. To keep (someone) in one's pay or service; also, (chiefly historical) to maintain (someone) as a dependent or follower. Labels: transitive Example: [H]e entruſted the government of the province to Archas Martin and Lupicaire, tvvo mercenary Brabançons, vvhom he had retained in his ſervice. 12. To control or restrain (oneself); to exercise self-control over (oneself). Labels: reflexive, transitive 13. To keep (someone) in custody; to prevent (someone) from leaving. Labels: archaic, transitive Example: 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. 14. To declare (a sin) not forgiven. Labels: transitive Example: Receave the holy gooſt: whoſoevers ſynnes ye remyt⸝ they are remitted vnto them: And whoſoevers ſynnes ye retayne⸝ they are retayned. Example: I vvill ſo remit vvrongs, as I may not encourage others to offer them; and ſo retaine them, as I may not induce God to retaine mine to him. 15. To keep in control or possession; to continue having. Labels: intransitive Example: [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 ſalt-petre, vvhich betrays upon the tongue no heat or corroſiveneſs at all, but coldneſs mixed vvith a ſomevvhat languid reliſh retaining to bitterneſs. Example: But an executor of his ovvn vvrong is not allovved to retain: for that vvould tend to encourage creditors to ſtrive vvho ſhould firſt take poſſeſſion of the goods of the deceaſed; and vvould beſides be taking advantage of their ovvn vvrong, vvhich is contrary to the rule of lavv. 16. To have the ability to keep something in the mind; to use the memory. Labels: intransitive Example: 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. Example: Alike, to all the kind, impartial Heav'n / The ſparks of truth and happineſs has giv'n: / VVith ſenſe to feel, vvith memory to retain, / They follovv pleaſure, and they fly from pain; […] 17. Of a body or body organ: to hold back tissue or a substance. Labels: intransitive 18. To refrain from doing something. Labels: intransitive, obsolete Example: [T]hey can ſcarce retaine from burſting foorth / In plaine reuolt. 19. To be a dependent or follower to someone. Labels: intransitive, obsolete Example: 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. Example: VVhen ſoone thoſe other Rils to Seuerne vvhich retaine, / And 'tended not on Teame, thus of themſelues do ſhovve / The ſeruice that to her they abſolutely ovve. 20. To continue, to remain. Labels: intransitive, obsolete, rare Example: 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: […]