retain

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɹəˈteɪn/ UK /ɹɪˈteɪn/ See IPA manual

Freq #11773

Meanings

1

verb
To keep or continue to have something.

Despite the changes, the town has retained much of its old charm.
2

verb
To keep something in place instead of removing it.

The school decided to retain its traditional uniform.
3

verb
To remember information.

Young children can retain new vocabulary remarkably quickly.
4

verb
To hold liquid inside instead of letting it through.

This type of soil retains water very well.
5

verb
To hire someone, especially a lawyer, for your service.

They retained a top lawyer to handle the case.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to keep or continue to have... keep hold

2 verb · to keep something in place... preserve

Word family

Forms retainedretainingretains

Derived forms immunoretainedretainabilityretainableretainageretainalretainedretainerretainershipretainingunretained

Related forms abstain contain maintain obtainretainderretainmentretentretentateretentionretentionalretentionist retentive

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

retain a client
to keep a client continuing to use a service over time

Verb + noun

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, fr…

*wert- Proto-Indo-European reteinen Middle English reteiner xno retenir Middle French *retino la-vul retinēre Latin *ten- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# retain

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ɹəˈteɪn/
**IPA (UK):** /ɹɪˈteɪn/
**Frequency rank:** 11773

## Meanings
1. To keep or continue to have something.
2. To keep something in place instead of removing it.
3. To remember information.
4. To hold liquid inside instead of letting it through.
5. To hire someone, especially a lawyer, for your service.

## Examples
- Despite the changes, the town has retained much of its old charm.
- The school decided to retain its traditional uniform.
- Young children can retain new vocabulary remarkably quickly.
- This type of soil retains water very well.
- They retained a top lawyer to handle the case.

## Derived Forms
- immunoretained
- retainability
- retainable
- retainage
- retainal
- retained
- retainer
- retainership
- retaining
- unretained

## Related Forms
- abstain
- contain
- maintain
- obtain
- retainder
- retainment
- retent
- retentate
- retention
- retentional
- retentionist
- retentive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *wert-
- Root: reteinen
- Root: reteiner
- Root: retenir
- Root: *retino
- Root: retinēre
- Root: *ten-

## 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, fr…

## AI Etymology
Retain comes 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, fr. Modern senses include to keep or continue to have something. and to keep something in place instead of removing it.. The wider word family includes derivatives such as immunoretained, retainability, retainable, retainage, retainal, and retained and related forms such as abstain, contain, maintain, and obtain.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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