tr.v., -tained, -tain·ing, -tains.
- To maintain possession of. See synonyms at keep.
- To keep or hold in a particular place, condition, or position.
- To keep in mind; remember.
- To hire (an attorney, for example) by the payment of a fee.
- To keep in one's service or pay.
[Middle English retainen, from Old French retenir, from Latin retinēre : re-, re- + tenēre, to hold.]
retainability re·tain'a·bil'i·ty n.retainable re·tain'a·ble adj.
retainment re·tain'ment n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
