retain

English

/ɹɪˈteɪn/

verb
Definitions
  • (transitive) To keep in possession or use.
  • (transitive) To keep in one's pay or service.
  • (transitive) To employ by paying a retainer.
  • (transitive) To hold secure.
  • (transitive) To hold back (a pupil) instead of allowing them to advance to the next class or year.
  • (obsolete) To restrain; to prevent.
  • (intransitive) To belong; to pertain.

Etymology

Derived from Old French retenir derived from Latin *retino, *retinīre, retineō (retain, hold back, keep hold back) root from Proto-Indo-European *ten- (stretch, draw, extend, pull, clench, flex).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*ten-

Gloss

stretch, draw, extend, pull, clench, flex

Concept
Semantic Field

Basic actions and technology

Ontological Category

Action/Process

Emoji

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms