remain
[ri-meyn]
- to continue in the same state; continue to be as specified: to remain at peace.
- to stay behind or in the same place: to remain at home; I'll remain here when you go to the airport.
- to be left after the removal, loss, destruction, etc., of all else: The front wall is all that remains of the fort.
- to be left to be done, told, shown, etc.: Only the dishwashing remains.
- to be reserved or in store.
Show More
- Usually remains. something that remains or is left.
- remains,
- miscellaneous, fragmentary, or other writings still unpublished at the time of an author's death.
- traces of some quality, condition, etc.
- a dead body; corpse.
- parts or substances remaining from animal or plant life that occur in the earth's crust or strata: fossil remains; organic remains.
Show More
Origin of remain
Synonyms
See more synonyms for remain on Thesaurus.com1. abide, stay. 2. wait, tarry, rest. 3. endure, abide.
Synonym study
1. See continue.
Antonyms
2. depart.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for remain
Contemporary Examples
Any plans to grow her exercise movement must, she insists, remain “completely organic.”
The people who are involved in the violence, they figure out ways to remain here at all costs and continue causing trouble.
Instead, black models are required to remain meekly, silently off stage, waiting for a turn that may never come.
Expectations, reasonable or unrealistic, remain so even if we impose them on ourselves.
The fate of AirAsia Flight 8501 and the 162 souls on board is a tragedy, but it will not remain a mystery for much longer.
Historical Examples
Philothea has glided from the apartment, as if afraid to remain in my presence.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
But Mr. Hand, flattered by her politeness, begged her to remain.
The Raid From Beausejour; And How The Carter Boys Lifted The MortgageCharles G. D. Roberts
It is expressed in conduct, of course; but conduct may fail while the attitude can remain constant.
The Conquest of FearBasil King
It is loss for the one who departs as well as for those who remain behind.
The Conquest of FearBasil King
I expect Mr. Smith here by six o'clock; will you remain with me and see him?
Life in LondonEdwin Hodder
remain
- to stay behind or in the same placeto remain at home; only Tom remained
- (copula) to continue to beto remain cheerful
- to be left, as after use, consumption, the passage of time, etca little wine still remained in the bottle
- to be left to be done, said, etcit remains to be pointed out
Show More
See also remains
Word Origin
C14: from Old French remanoir, from Latin remanēre to be left, from re- + manēre to stay
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
Word Origin and History for remain
v.
early 15c., from Anglo-French remayn-, Old French remain-, stressed stem of remanoir "stay, dwell, remain; be left; hold out," from Latin remanere "to remain, to stay behind; be left behind; endure, abide, last" (cf. Spanish remaner, Italian rimanere), from re- "back" (see re-) + manere "to stay, remain" (see mansion). Related: Remained; remaining.
Show More
n.
"those left over or surviving," mid-15c., from Middle French remain, back-formation from Old French remanoir, remaindre, or else formed in Middle English from remain (v.). But the more usual noun in English has been remainder except in remains, euphemism for "corpse," attested from c.1700, from mortal remains.
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper