2. To keep possession of; to hold and defend; not to
surrender or relinquish.
God values . . . every one as he maintains his post.
--Grew.
3. To continue; not to suffer to cease or fail.
Maintain talk with the duke. --Shak.
4. To bear the expense of; to support; to keep up; to supply
with what is needed.
Glad, by his labor, to maintain his life.
--Stirling.
What maintains one vice would bring up two children.
--Franklin.
5. To affirm; to support or defend by argument.
It is hard to maintain the truth, but much harder to
be maintained by it. --South.
Syn: To assert; vindicate; allege. See {Assert}.