Definitions for contain
kənˈteɪncon·tain

Princeton's WordNet(3.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. incorporate, contain, comprise(verb)

   include or contain; have as a component

   "A totally new idea is comprised in this paper"; "The record contains many old songs from the 1930's"

2. hold, bear, carry, contain(verb)

   contain or hold; have within

   "The jar carries wine"; "The canteen holds fresh water"; "This can contains water"

3. control, hold in, hold, contain, check, curb, moderate(verb)

   lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits

   "moderate your alcohol intake"; "hold your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger"

4. contain(verb)

   be divisible by

   "24 contains 6"

5. contain, take, hold(verb)

   be capable of holding or containing

   "This box won't take all the items"; "The flask holds one gallon"

6. check, turn back, arrest, stop, contain, hold back(verb)

   hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of

   "Arrest the downward trend"; "Check the growth of communism in South East Asia"; "Contain the rebel movement"; "Turn back the tide of communism"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. contain(Verb)

   : To hold inside.

2. contain(Verb)

   : To include as a part.

3. contain(Verb)

   : To limit through restraint.

4. contain(Verb)

   To have as an element.

5. contain(Verb)

   To restrain desire; to live in continence or chastity.

   But if they can not contain, let them marry. uE00097647uE001 1 Cor. vii. 9.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Contain(verb)

   to hold within fixed limits; to comprise; to include; to inclose; to hold

2. Contain(verb)

   to have capacity for; to be able to hold; to hold; to be equivalent to; as, a bushel contains four pecks

3. Contain(verb)

   to put constraint upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep within bounds

4. Contain(verb)

   to restrain desire; to live in continence or chastity

Origin: [OE. contenen, conteinen, F. contenir, fr. L. continere, -tentum; con- + tenere to hold. See Tenable, and cf. Countenance.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Contain

   kon-tān′, v.t. to comprise, to include: (B.) to restrain, esp. the sexual appetite.—adj. Contain′able, that may be contained.—ns. Contain′ant, Contain′er. [Through Fr. from L. continēre—con, together, tenēre, to hold.]

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'contain' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2225

2. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'contain' in Verbs Frequency: #129

Anagrams for contain »

1. actinon

How to pronounce contain?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say contain in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of contain in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of contain in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of contain in a Sentence

1. Jonathan Napat:

   Just unbearable. Just too much to contain.

2. Jonathan Eibeschutz:

   All pleasures contain an element of sadness.

3. Michael Brown:

   And that's because it does not contain asbestos.

4. Karen Smith:

   We were able to contain the outbreak within two months.

5. Agriculture Phung Duc Tien:

   If it spreads further, it will be very difficult to contain.

Images & Illustrations of contain

Popularity rank by frequency of use