[
UK
/ɹɪtˈeɪn/
]
[ US /ɹiˈteɪn, ɹɪˈteɪn/ ]
[ US /ɹiˈteɪn, ɹɪˈteɪn/ ]
VERB
-
keep in one's mind
I cannot retain so much information -
hold back within
I retain this drug for a long time
the dam retains the water
This soil retains water -
secure and keep for possible future use or application
The landlord retained the security deposit
I reserve the right to disagree -
allow to remain in a place or position or maintain a property or feature
We cannot continue several servants any longer
She retained her composure
Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on
this garment retains its shape even after many washings
We kept the work going as long as we could
She retains a lawyer
The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff
How To Use retain In A Sentence
- Buildings can be designed to absorb and retain heat from the sun to save on heating costs.
- This gas absorbs visible light so well that plants could not photosynthesize even if they somehow retained their leaves.
- Humus being highly colloidal, has the ability to adsorb and retain for future plant use many of the ions such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphates and ammonia which might be leached from the soil and lost in drainage.
- Only the bishops have retained the augurial staff, called the crosier; which was the distinctive mark of the dignity of augur; so that the symbol of falsehood has become the symbol of truth. A Philosophical Dictionary
- ‘I'm sure the retained men are not valued as highly but they work 12 hours and then are on call - if those bleepers go then they have to race to the station, perhaps to save someone's life,’ he said.
- The four stresses of the Anglo-Saxon verse are retained, and as much thesis and anacrusis is allowed as is consistent with a regular cadence. Beowulf An Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem
- But when it is warm, the rubber is pliable and retains high elasticity, even when being stretched hard.
- Trip steels have a microstructure with retained austenite, ferrite and martensite.
- State officials retained considerable economic control and allowed uneconomic factories and mines to continue operating.
- The Stabat Mater has been retained as an optional Sequence for September 15 in the reformed Roman Missal and as the hymn for the Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, and Evening Prayer in the new Liturgy of Hours. Archive 2009-04-01
