retain
Part of speech: verb
Morphological type: simple
Topics: Christianity
education
law
medicine
sciences
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
Inflected forms:
form: retains
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: retaining
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: retained
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: retained
pos: verb
tags: past
form: no-table-tags
pos: verb
tags: table-tags
form: glossary
pos: verb
tags: inflection-template
form: retain
pos: verb
tags: infinitive
form: retain
pos: verb
tags: first-person
present
singular
form: retained
pos: verb
tags: first-person
past
singular
form: retain
pos: verb
tags: present
second-person
singular
form: retainest
pos: verb
tags: archaic
present
second-person
singular
form: retained
pos: verb
tags: past
second-person
singular
form: retainedst
pos: verb
tags: archaic
past
second-person
singular
form: retains
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: retaineth
pos: verb
tags: archaic
present
singular
third-person
form: retained
pos: verb
tags: past
singular
third-person
form: retain
pos: verb
tags: plural
present
form: retained
pos: verb
tags: past
plural
form: retain
pos: verb
tags: present
subjunctive
form: retained
pos: verb
tags: past
subjunctive
form: retain
pos: verb
tags: imperative
present
form: -
pos: verb
tags: imperative
past
form: retaining
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: retained
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
Senses:
gloss: Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: 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, […]
gloss: Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
gloss: Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: water retained by a dam
[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: […]
gloss: Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
gloss: To hold (something) secure; to prevent (something) from becoming detached or separated.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
gloss: To keep (something) in control or possession; to continue having (something); to keep back.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: 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, […]
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.
Sir Roger Acton, thou retainſt the name / Of knight, and ſhouldſt be more diſcreetly temperd, / Than ioyne vvith peaſants, gentry is diuine, / But thou haſt made it more then popular.
[S]he [Sabrina, a water nymph] reviv'd, / And undervvent a quicke, immortall change / Made goddeſſe of the river; ſtill ſhe retaines / Her maiden gentleneſſe, […]
And from theſe corporal nutriments perhaps / Your bodies may at laſt turn all to Spirit, / Improv'd by tract of time, and wingd aſcend / Ethereal, as wee, or may at choice / Here or in Heav'nly Paradiſes dwell; / If ye be found obedient, and retain / Unalterably firm his love entire / Whoſe progenie you are.
Thou retaineſt indeed ſtill the external form of the Philadelphian Church, as to Doctrine and VVorſhip; but thou art deſtitute of that Spirit of Life in the Nevv Birth, vvhich vvas the proper character of thy deceaſed Siſter Philadelphia.
Among debts of equal degree, the executor or adminiſtrator is allovved to pay himſelf firſt; by retaining in his hands ſo much as his debt amounts to.
Miss Bingley was very deeply mortified by Darcy's marriage; but as she thought it advisable to retain the right of visiting at Pemberley, she dropt all her resentment; was fonder than ever of Georgiana, almost as attentive to Darcy as heretofore, and paid off every arrear of civility to Elizabeth.
I still retain an unbounded admiration for G[eorge] J[ackson] Churchward and all his works, so wisely carried on by his successors.
The original family who had begun to build a palace to rival Nonesuch had died out before they had put up little more than the gateway, so that the actual structure which had come down to posterity retained the secret magic of a promise rather than the overpowering splendour of a great architectural achievement.
But the Lionesses, who have shown mental resilience in abundance under [Sarina] Wiegman's management, regrouped to win the shootout 4-2 and lift their second trophy of the year, having retained their Arnold Clark Cup crown in February.
gloss: To keep (something) in control or possession; to continue having (something); to keep back.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: 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.
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.
[W]hatever Perſon vvould aſpire to be completely vvitty, ſmart, humourous, and polite, muſt by hard Labour be able to retain in his Memory every ſingle Sentence contained in this VVork, […]
A strange thing was that Bovary, while continually thinking of Emma, was forgetting her. He grew desperate as he felt this image fading from his memory in spite of all efforts to retain it. Yet every night he dreamt of her; it was always the same dream. He drew near her, but when he was about to clasp her she fell into decay in his arms.
gloss: To keep (something) in place or use, instead of removing or abolishing it; to preserve.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: 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.
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.
[T]hou tookeſt this liberty, to have other Gods beſides the Lord thy God, viz. thy Baalims and Demon-gods of other Nations about thee; and yet hopedſt that Jehovah the God of Heaven, thy only Sovereign God, vvould not be offended thereat, ſince thou retainedſt him ſtill in chief place and honour vvith thee.
The palaces of the nobles were not as we see them now— […] but still to this day are retained the massive walls, and barred windows, and spacious courts, in which at that time they protected their rude retainers.
People of unalterable ideas still insisted upon calling him "Sergeant" when they met him, which was in some degree owing to his having still retained the well-shaped moustache of his military days, and the soldierly bearing inseparable from his form.
However, in 1844, saner counsels prevailed, and Edgeley became the principal station—the directors eating their words once more by retaining the older station, which was renamed Heaton Norris.
The electric locomotives, which have been a familiar sight for so many years, are to be withdrawn from passenger service, but a few will be retained for miscellaneous non-passenger duties.
gloss: To engage or hire (someone), especially temporarily.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: 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.
gloss: To engage or hire (someone), especially temporarily.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: It is vvell knovvn thou retaineſt thy Lavvyers by the Year, ſo a freſh Lavv-Suit adds but little to thy Expences; […]
"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.
gloss: To keep (someone) in one's pay or service; also, (chiefly historical) to maintain (someone) as a dependent or follower.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: [H]e entruſted the government of the province to Archas Martin and Lupicaire, tvvo mercenary Brabançons, vvhom he had retained in his ſervice.
gloss: To control or restrain (oneself); to exercise self-control over (oneself).
pos: verb
tags: reflexive
transitive
gloss: To keep (someone) in custody; to prevent (someone) from leaving.
pos: verb
tags: archaic
transitive
examples: 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.
gloss: To declare (a sin) not forgiven.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: Receave the holy gooſt: whoſoevers ſynnes ye remyt⸝ they are remitted vnto them: And whoſoevers ſynnes ye retayne⸝ they are retayned.
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.
Excommunication therefore had its effect onely upon thoſe, that beleeved that Jeſus Chriſt vvas to come again in Glory, to reign over, and to judge both the quick, and the dead, and ſhould therefore refuſe entrance into his Kingdom, to thoſe vvhoſe Sins vvere Retained; that is, to thoſe that vvere Excommunicated by the Church.
gloss: To keep in control or possession; to continue having.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: [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.
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.
gloss: To have the ability to keep something in the mind; to use the memory.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: 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.
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; […]
If ſhrevv'd, and of a vvell-conſtructed brain, / Keen in purſuit, and vig'rous to retain, / Your ſon come forth a prodigy of ſkill, / As vvhereſoever, taught, ſo form'd, he vvill, / The pædagogue, vvith ſelf-complacent air, / Claims more than half the praiſe as his due ſhare; […]
gloss: Of a body or body organ: to hold back tissue or a substance.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
gloss: To refrain from doing something.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
obsolete
examples: [T]hey can ſcarce retaine from burſting foorth / In plaine reuolt.
gloss: To be a dependent or follower to someone.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
obsolete
examples: 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.
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.
And therefore hereto he inveigleth, not only the Sadduces and ſuch as retaine unto the Church of God, but is alſo content that Epicurus Democritus or any of the heathen ſhould hold the ſame.
gloss: To continue, to remain.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
obsolete
rare
examples: 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: […]
Related words: abstain
contain
maintain
obtain
retainder
retainment
retent
retentate
retention
retentional
retentionist
retentive
retentively
retentiveness
retentivity
retinue
sustain
Derived words: immunoretained
retainability
retainable
retainage
retainal
retain and explain
retained
retainer
retainership
retaining
unretained
Translations:
lang: Arabic
word: أَبْقَى
roman: ʔabqā
lang: Arabic
word: أَدَامَ
roman: ʔadāma
lang: Arabic
word: بَقَّى
roman: baqqā
lang: Arabic
word: حَفِظَ
roman: ḥafiẓa
lang: Arabic
word: رَعَى
roman: raʕā
lang: Arabic
word: صانَ
roman: ṣāna
lang: Arabic
word: اِحْتَفَظَ
roman: iḥtafaẓa
lang: Bulgarian
word: запазвам
roman: zapazvam
lang: Bulgarian
word: съхранявам
roman: sǎhranjavam
lang: Czech
word: ponechat si
lang: Czech
word: uchovat si
lang: Dutch
word: behouden
lang: Esperanto
word: reteni
lang: Finnish
word: pitää
lang: Finnish
word: säilyttää
lang: French
word: retenir
lang: French
word: conserver
lang: French
word: maintenir
lang: Georgian
word: ინარჩუნებს
roman: inarčunebs
lang: Georgian
word: ინახავს
roman: inaxavs
lang: German
word: behalten
lang: Gothic
word: 𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌽
roman: gahaban
lang: Hungarian
word: megtart
lang: Irish
word: coinnigh
lang: Italian
word: conservare
lang: Italian
word: mantenere
lang: Latin
word: habeo
lang: Latin
word: teneo
lang: Māori
word: whakauenuku
lang: Māori
word: whakapupuri
lang: Norwegian
word: få
lang: Norwegian
word: motta
lang: Old English
word: æthabban
lang: Portuguese
word: reter
lang: Romanian
word: reține
lang: Russian
word: храни́ть
roman: xranítʹ
lang: Russian
word: сохраня́ть
roman: soxranjátʹ
lang: Russian
word: сохрани́ть
roman: soxranítʹ
lang: Russian
word: оставля́ть
roman: ostavljátʹ
lang: Russian
word: оста́вить
roman: ostávitʹ
lang: Spanish
word: retener
lang: Spanish
word: detentar (illegitimately)
lang: Swedish
word: få
lang: Swedish
word: bevara
lang: Turkish
word: alıkoymak
lang: Turkish
word: tutmak
lang: Turkish
word: unutmamak
lang: Turkish
word: kaybetmemek
lang: Turkish
word: elinden kaçırmamak
lang: Finnish
word: pidättää