contain

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to hold back, as of a danger or an enemy

   The medical workers contained the outbreak to one city.

2. 2
   verb

   to be divisible by

   24 contains 6

3. 3
   verb

   To hold inside.

   The brown box contains three stacks of books.

4. 4
   verb

   To include as a part.

   Most of the meals they offer contain meat.

5. 5
   verb

   To put constraints upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep within bounds.

   I'm so excited, I can hardly contain myself!

6. 6
   verb

   To have as an element or subset.

   A group contains a unique inverse for each of its elements.

7. 7
   verb

   To restrain desire; to live in continence or chastity.

   But if they cannot contain, let them marry.

8. 8
   verb

   to lessen the intensity of

Etymology

From Middle English, borrowed from Old French contenir, from Latin continēre (“to hold or keep together, comprise, contain”), combined form of con- (“together”) + teneō (“to hold”).