retain

Plural: retains

Verb

Verb Forms: retained, retaining, retains

To keep possession of; to hold on to or preserve.
hold back within
- "This soil retains water"
- "I retain this drug for a long time"
- "the dam retains the water"
allow to remain in a place or position or maintain a property or feature
- "She retains a lawyer"
- "She retained her composure"
- "this garment retains its shape even after many washings"
secure and keep for possible future use or application
- "The landlord retained the security deposit"
keep in one's mind
- "I cannot retain so much information"
Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.
Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.
To hold back (a pupil) instead of allowing them to advance to the next class or year; to keep back.
Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain.
Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain.
To hold back (tissue or a substance, especially urine) in the body or a body organ.
To hold (something) secure; to prevent (something) from becoming detached or separated.
To keep (something) in control or possession; to continue having (something); to keep back.
To keep (something) in control or possession; to continue having (something); to keep back.
To keep (something) in the mind; to recall, to remember.
To keep (something) in place or use, instead of removing or abolishing it; to preserve.
To engage or hire (someone), especially temporarily.
To engage or hire (someone), especially temporarily.
To employ (someone, especially a lawyer) by paying a retainer (“fee one pays to reserve another person's time for services”); specifically, to engage (a barrister) by making an initial payment to secure their services if needed.
To keep (someone) in one's pay or service; also, (chiefly historical) to maintain (someone) as a dependent or follower.
To control or restrain (oneself); to exercise self-control over (oneself).
To keep (someone) in custody; to prevent (someone) from leaving.
To declare (a sin) not forgiven.
To keep in control or possession; to continue having.
To have the ability to keep something in the mind; to use the memory.
Of a body or body organ: to hold back tissue or a substance.
To refrain from doing something.
To be a dependent or follower to someone.
To continue, to remain.

Noun

An act of holding or keeping something; a possession, a retention.
Synonym of retinue (“a group of attendants or servants, especially of someone considered important”).

Examples

Some players try to RETAIN high-value letters like ’Q’ and ’Z’ for a crucial endgame move.

Origin / Etymology

From Late Middle English reteinen, retein (“to continue to keep, retain; to continue to possess; to possess; to contain; to draw back, retire; to hold back, restrain; to keep in mind, remember; to take back, repossess; to appoint; to engage in one’s service, employ, hire”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman reteiner, retenir [and other forms], Middle French retenir, and Old French retenir (“to keep back, retain; to keep, maintain, preserve; to possess; to engage in one’s service, employ; to detain; to hold back, restrain; to remember”) (modern French retenir), from Vulgar Latin *retinīre, from Latin retinēre, the present active infinitive of retineō (“to keep or hold back, detain, retain; to hold in check, stop; to hold fast, maintain; to keep in mind, remember”) (compare Late Latin retineō (“to keep engaged in one’s service”)), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’) + teneō (“to grasp, hold; to hold fast, restrain; to possess; to keep in mind, remember”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to extend, stretch”)).
Sense 1.10 (“to declare (a sin) not forgiven”) is derived from John 20:23 in the Bible, in Late Latin quorum retinueritis, retenta sunt, and in Koine Greek ἄν τινων κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται: see the 1526 quotation.
Cognates
* Catalan retenir
* Italian retenere (obsolete), ritenere
* Portuguese reter
* Spanish retener

Synonyms

continue, hold, hold back, keep, keep back, keep on, retainal, retaining, retainment, retinue

Antonyms

remit

Scrabble Score: 6

retain: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
retain: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
retain: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 7

retain: valid Words With Friends Word