retain
[ri-teyn]
- to keep possession of.
- to continue to use, practice, etc.: to retain an old custom.
- to continue to hold or have: to retain a prisoner in custody; a cloth that retains its color.
- to keep in mind; remember.
- to hold in place or position.
- to engage, especially by payment of a preliminary fee: to retain a lawyer.
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Origin of retain
1350–1400; Middle English reteinen < Old French retenir < Latin retinēre to hold back, hold fast, equivalent to re- re- + -tinēre, combining form of tenēre to hold
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comAntonyms
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
received, saved, maintained, reserved, withheld, remembered, possessed, owned, restrained, held, included, confined, sustained, had, contained, treasured, secured, chosen, selected, engagedExamples from the Web for retained
Contemporary Examples
Weeks retained an unparalleled legal team, which included bitter political rivals Hamilton and Burr.
Once appointed, supreme court nominees stand for election in order to be retained.
He retained a deep attachment to his mother, Judie McCain, and posted a photo of her on Facebook.
American Jihadis Douglas McCain and Troy Kastigar: From Losers to MartyrsMichael Daly
August 28, 2014
Although she is now an American citizen, Coles has retained an English sense of journalism.
On the other hand, he has retained an attribute reminiscent of the other ex-fundies.
Historical Examples
Anaxagoras retained his usual bland expression and meek dignity.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
I adopted the name "Thompson," from my new master, which I have since retained.
Biography of a SlaveCharles Thompson
Fruits and vegetables should have retained their natural color.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 5Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
Burke retained his manner of serene indifference to the other's agitation.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
We keep the Chitral road open because we have retained Chitral.
The Story of the Malakand Field ForceSir Winston S. Churchill
retain
- to keep in one's possession
- to be able to hold or containsoil that retains water
- (of a person) to be able to remember (information, facts, etc) without difficulty
- to hold in position
- to keep for one's future use, as by paying a retainer or nominal chargeto retain one's rooms for the holidays
- law to engage the services of (a barrister) by payment of a preliminary fee
- (in selling races) to buy back a winner that one owns when it is auctioned after the race
- (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
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Word Origin
C14: from Old French retenir, from Latin retinēre to hold back, from re- + tenēre to hold
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for retained
retain
v.
late 14c., "hold back, restrain;" c.1400, "continue keeping, keep possession of," from Old French retenir "keep, retain; take into feudal service; hold back; remember" (12c.), from Latin retinere "hold back, keep back, detain, restrain," from re- "back" (see re-) + tenere "to hold" (see tenet). Meaning "keep (another) attached to one's person, keep in service" is from mid-15c.; specifically of lawyers from 1540s. Meaning "keep in the mind" is from c.1500. Related: Retained; retaining.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper