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- DictionaryRe·tain/rəˈtān/
verb
- 1. continue to have (something); keep possession of: "built in 1830, the house retains many of its original features" Similar keepkeep possession ofkeep hold ofhold ontohold fast tokeep backhang ontocling toliterary:cleave tomaintainkeepcontinuepreservereserveconserveperpetuatecherishOpposite give uploseabolishdiscontinuealter
- ▪ not abolish or alter; maintain: "the rights of defendants must be retained" Similar maintainkeepcontinuepreservereserveconserveperpetuatecherishOpposite abolishdiscontinuealter
- ▪ keep in one's memory: "I retained a few French words and phrases" Similar remembermemorizekeep in one's mindkeep in one's memorylearnlearn by heartget by heartcommit to memoryget down patlearn by roteimpress on the memorybecome word-perfect inrecallcall to mindrecollectthink ofsucceed in rememberingget off patarchaic:conOpposite forget
- 2. absorb and continue to hold (a substance): "limestone is known to retain water"
- 3. keep (something) in place; hold fixed: "the successful design of a cartridge belt requires that the cartridges in it be properly located and retained in that position"
- 4. keep (someone) engaged in one's service: "he has been retained as a freelance" Similar employcommissioncontractpaykeep on the payrollhave in employmenthireengageappointrecruitput on the payrollsecure the services ofsign onsign uptake ontake into one's employOpposite dismiss
- ▪ secure the services of (a person, especially an attorney) with a preliminary payment.
Word Origin late Middle English: via Anglo-Norman French from Old French retenir, from Latin retinere, from re- ‘back’ + tenere ‘hold’.
Derivatives
- 1. retainability noun
- 2. retainable adjective
- 3. retainment noun
Scrabble Points: 6
R
1E
1T
1A
1I
1N
1
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