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View synonyms for

retain

[ ri-teyn ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to keep possession of.

    Synonyms: ,

    Antonyms: ,

  2. to continue to use, practice, etc.:

    to retain an old custom.

  3. to continue to hold or have:

    to retain a prisoner in custody; a cloth that retains its color.

  4. to keep in mind; remember.

    Antonyms:

  5. to hold in place or position.
  6. to engage, especially by payment of a preliminary fee:

    to retain a lawyer.

  7. Medicine/Medical. to keep in the body, especially abnormally; fail to eliminate:

    I was referred to a specialty clinic and they discovered that I was retaining urine.



retain

/ ɪˈٱɪ /

verb

  1. to keep in one's possession
  2. to be able to hold or contain

    soil that retains water

  3. (of a person) to be able to remember (information, facts, etc) without difficulty
  4. to hold in position
  5. to keep for one's future use, as by paying a retainer or nominal charge

    to retain one's rooms for the holidays

  6. law to engage the services of (a barrister) by payment of a preliminary fee
  7. (in selling races) to buy back a winner that one owns when it is auctioned after the race
  8. (of racehorse trainers) to pay an advance fee to (a jockey) so as to have prior or exclusive claims upon his services throughout the season
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈٲԳԳ, noun
  • ˈٲԲ, adjective
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Other Word Forms

  • ·ٲ·· adjective
  • ·ٲ····ٲ [ri-tey-n, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], ·ٲ···ness noun
  • ·ٲ·Գ noun
  • non··ٲ·· adjective
  • non··ٲ·Գ noun
  • un··ٲ·· adjective
  • ܲ··ٲ·Բ adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of retain1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English reteinen, from Old French retenir, from Latin پŧ “to hold back, hold fast,” equivalent to re- re- + -پŧ, combining form of ٱŧ “to hold”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of retain1

C14: from Old French retenir , from Latin پŧ to hold back, from re- + ٱŧ to hold
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Synonym Study

See keep.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Fly-half Holly Aitchison guided England to victory that day and was in pole position to retain the 10 shirt this campaign, but Mitchell has instead split the workload between his three playmakers.

From

But he said it was a "pragmatic decision" to retain the commission rather than abolishing it "only then to recreate something that would not look terribly dissimilar".

From

He credits their health to the wood-chip mulch around his property and hugelkultur mounds — logs covered with wood chips and compost — that attract and retain moisture.

From

The fact Partey is yet to sign a new contract with only a month of the season to go might seem to suggest the club are not urgently seeking to retain him.

From

You want to bring people over to your side and retain the ones who are already in your corner.

From

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