retain

CEFRB1

/ɹɪˈteɪn/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To keep something or continue to have it.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain.

Examples

  • If you use a computer, you can retain information.

  • These dishes don't retain heat very well.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
3

Also pronounced

  • /ɹi-/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.

  2. To hold back (a pupil) instead of allowing them to advance to the next class or year; to keep back.

  3. To hold back (tissue or a substance, especially urine) in the body or a body organ.

More examples

In context

  • If the company can retain its customers' faith

  • 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: […]

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The company wants to blank its best employees by offering higher salaries.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

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;...