Hypertext Webster Gateway: "contain"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Contain \Con*tain"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Contained}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Containing}.] [OE. contenen, conteinen, F. contenir,
fr. L. continere, -tentum; con- + tenere to hold. See
{Tenable}, and cf. {Countenance}.]
1. To hold within fixed limits; to comprise; to include; to
inclose; to hold.
Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can not
contain thee; how much less this house! --2 Chron.
vi. 18.
When that this body did contain a spirit. --Shak.
What thy stores contain bring forth. --Milton.
2. To have capacity for; to be able to hold; to hold; to be
equivalent to; as, a bushel contains four pecks.
3. To put constraint upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep
within bounds. [Obs., exept as used reflexively.]
The king's person contains the unruly people from
evil occasions. --Spenser.
Fear not, my lord: we can contain ourselves. --Shak.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Contain \Con*tain"\, v. i.
To restrain desire; to live in continence or chastity.
But if they can not contain, let them marry. --1 Cor.
vii. 9.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
contain
v 1: include or contain; have as a component; "A totally new idea
is comprised in this paper"; "The record contains many
old songs from the 1930's" [syn: {incorporate}, {comprise}]
2: contain or hold; have within: "The jar carries wine"; "The
canteen holds fresh water"; "This can contains water"
[syn: {hold}, {bear}, {carry}]
3: lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or
keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake" "hold
your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger"
[syn: {control}, {hold in}, {hold}, {check}, {curb}, {moderate}]
4: be divisible by; "24 contains 6"
5: be capable of holding or containing; "This box won't take
all the items"; "The flask holds one gallon" [syn: {take},
{hold}]
6: hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion
or influence of; "Arrest the downward trend"; "Check the
growth of communism in SE Asia"; "Contain the rebel
movement"; "Turn back athe tide of communism" [syn: {check},
{turn back}, {arrest}, {stop}, {hold back}]
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