Definitions for contain
kənˈteɪncon·tain

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 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

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