Definitions for retain
rɪˈteɪnre·tain

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. retainverb

   hold back within

   "This soil retains water"; "I retain this drug for a long time"; "the dam retains the water"

2. retain, continue, keep, keep onverb

   allow to remain in a place or position or maintain a property or feature

   "We cannot continue several servants any longer"; "She retains a lawyer"; "The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff"; "Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on"; "We kept the work going as long as we could"; "She retained her composure"; "this garment retains its shape even after many washings"

3. retain, hold, keep back, hold backverb

   secure and keep for possible future use or application

   "The landlord retained the security deposit"; "I reserve the right to disagree"

4. retainverb

   keep in one's mind

   "I cannot retain so much information"

Wiktionary(4.75 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. retainverb

   To keep in possession or use.

2. retainverb

   To keep in one's pay or service.

3. retainverb

   To employ by paying a retainer.

4. retainverb

   To hold secure.

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

1. Retainverb

   to continue to hold; to keep in possession; not to lose, part with, or dismiss; to retrain from departure, escape, or the like

2. Retainverb

   to keep in pay; to employ by a preliminary fee paid; to hire; to engage; as, to retain a counselor

3. Retainverb

   to restrain; to prevent

4. Retainverb

   to belong; to pertain

5. Retainverb

   to keep; to continue; to remain

Freebase(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. RETAIN

   RETAIN is a mainframe based database system, accessed via IBM 3270 terminals, used internally within IBM providing service support to IBM field personnel and customers. The acronym RETAIN stands for REmote Technical Assistance Information Network.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Retain

   rē-tān′, v.t. to keep in possession: to detain: to employ by a fee paid: to restrain: to keep up, as to retain a custom: to keep in mind.—adj. Retain′able, that may be retained.—ns. Retain′er, one who is retained or kept in service: a dependant, but higher than a servant: a sutler: a retaining fee; Retain′ership; Retain′ment.—Retaining fee, the advance fee paid to a lawyer to defend a cause; Retaining wall, a wall to prevent a bank from slipping down.—General retainer, a fee to secure a priority of claim on a counsel's services; Special retainer, a fee for a particular case. [Fr.,—L. retinēre—re-, back, tenēre, to hold.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. retain

   To keep a specific type of form, structure or memory.

   The memory stick retained its memory and the data that was saved onto it.

   Submitted by MaryC on January 7, 2020  

Matched Categories

1. • Hold
   • Prolong
   • Remember

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'retain' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3773

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'retain' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4493

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'retain' in Verbs Frequency: #317

Anagrams for retain »

1. tin ear

2. retina

How to pronounce retain?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say retain in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of retain in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of retain in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of retain in a Sentence

1. Eleni Linos:

   The phone user needs to retain the power to choose what happens. Every domestic violence and sexual assault situation is different, and the phone won't know if the abuser suddenly re-enters the room, grabs the phone, or starts listening in. It's tempting to say that the phone should automatically dial 9-1-1, but that could lead to an increase in the number of accidental calls, limit emergency services' capacity to respond to actual urgent calls, and worst of all might tip off the perpetrator that his or her victim is trying to get help.

2. Samuel Johnson:

   He that fails in his endeavors after wealth or power will not long retain either honesty or courage.

3. Eleni Linos:

   As technology becomes more sophisticated and people start to use their phones interactively for an increasing number of daily tasks, it would not be surprising if they also increasingly turned to electronic devices for help with personal, health and safety issues, the phone user needs to retain the power to choose what happens. Every domestic violence and sexual assault situation is different, and the phone won't know if the abuser suddenly re-enters the room, grabs the phone, or starts listening in. It's tempting to say that the phone should automatically dial 9-1-1, but that could lead to an increase in the number of accidental calls, limit emergency services' capacity to respond to actual urgent calls, and worst of all might tip off the perpetrator that his or her victim is trying to get help.

4. Mark Esper:

   We learned that several days prior, Secretary Spencer had proposed a deal whereby if the President allowed the Navy to handle the case, he would guarantee that Eddie Gallagher would be restored to rank, allowed to retain his Trident and permitted to retire.

5. Luis Aguilar:

   In advance of becoming an The SEC's commissioner, I was advised by the SEC's ethics office as to what investments I needed to sell and what investments I could legally retain and I followed Luis Aguilar and Kara Stein advice, Since then, I have neither bought nor sold any new public companies. Both I, Luis Aguilar staff and the The SEC's ethics office monitors these holdings and I recuse from these matters whenever I am advised to do so.

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