retain

Where “retain” sits in English frequency

Definition

1. 1
   Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.
2. 2
   Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.
3. 3
   Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain.
4. 4
   Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain.
5. 5
   To hold (something) secure; to prevent (something) from becoming detached or separated.
6. 6
   To keep (something) in control or possession; to continue having (something); to keep back.
7. 7
   To keep (something) in control or possession; to continue having (something); to keep back.
8. 8
   To keep (something) in place or use, instead of removing or abolishing it; to preserve.
9. 9
   To engage or hire (someone), especially temporarily.
10. 10
    To engage or hire (someone), especially temporarily.
11. 11
    To keep (someone) in one's pay or service; also, (chiefly historical) to maintain (someone) as a dependent or follower.
12. 12
    To control or restrain (oneself); to exercise self-control over (oneself).
13. 13
    To keep (someone) in custody; to prevent (someone) from leaving.
14. 14
    To declare (a sin) not forgiven.
15. 15
    To keep in control or possession; to continue having.
16. 16
    To have the ability to keep something in the mind; to use the memory.
17. 17
    Of a body or body organ: to hold back tissue or a substance.
18. 18
    To refrain from doing something.
19. 19
    To be a dependent or follower to someone.
20. 20
    To continue, to remain.

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

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ertain,reatin,retainn,retani,retian,rettain,rretain,rteain

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of retain - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

Frequently Asked Questions