Hypertext Webster Gateway: "retain"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Retain \Re*tain"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Retained}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Retaining}.] [F. retainir, L. retinere; pref. re- re- +
tenere to hold, keep. See {Tenable}, and cf. {Rein} of a
bridle, {Retention}, {Retinue}.]
1. To continue to hold; to keep in possession; not to lose,
part with, or dismiss; to retrain from departure, escape,
or the like. ``Thy shape invisibleretain.'' --Shak.
Be obedient, and retain Unalterably firm his love
entire. --Milton.
An executor may retain a debt due to him from the
testator. --Blackstone.
2. To keep in pay; to employ by a preliminary fee paid; to
hire; to engage; as, to retain a counselor.
A Benedictine convent has now retained the most
learned father of their order to write in its
defense. --Addison.
3. To restrain; to prevent. [Obs.] --Sir W. Temple.
{Retaining wall} (Arch. & Engin.), a wall built to keep any
movable backing, or a bank of sand or earth, in its place;
-- called also {retain wall}.
Syn: To keep; hold; retrain. See {Keep}.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Retain \Re*tain"\, v. i.
1. To belong; to pertain. [Obs.]
A somewhat languid relish, retaining to bitterness.
--Boyle.
2. To keep; to continue; to remain. [Obs.] --Donne.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
retain
v 1: hold on to [syn: {reserve}, {hold}]
2: hold within; "This soil retains water"; "I retain this drug
for a long time"
3: allow to remain in a place or position; "We cannot continue
several servants any longer"; "She retains a lawyer"; "The
family's fortune waned and they could not keep their
household staff"; "Our grant has run out and we cannot
keep you on"; "We kept the work going as long as we could"
[syn: {continue}, {keep}, {keep on}, {keep going}]
4: as to represent; of legal counsel; "I'm retaining a lawyer"
[syn: {engage}]
5: keep in one's possession [syn: {hold}, {keep back}, {hold
back}]
6: keep in one's mind; "I cannot retain so much information"
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.