retain

Etymology 1

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

verb

1. (transitive)
   1. Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.
      1. (education) To hold back (a pupil) instead of allowing them to advance to the next class or year; to keep back.
   2. Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain.
      1. (medicine) To hold back (tissue or a substance, especially urine) in the body or a body organ.
   3. To hold (something) secure; to prevent (something) from becoming detached or separated.
   4. To keep (something) in control or possession; to continue having (something); to keep back.
      I still retain an unbounded admiration for G[eorge] J[ackson] Churchward and all his works, so wisely carried on by his successors. 1947 January and February, H[arold] Holcroft, “‘Castles’, ‘Lord Nelsons’ and ‘Royal Scots’”, in The Railway Magazine, London: Tothill Press, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 13
      But the Lionesses, who have shown mental resilience in abundance under [Sarina] Wiegman's management, regrouped to win the shootout 4-2 and lift their second trophy of the year, having retained their Arnold Clark Cup crown in February. 6 April 2023, Emma Sanders, “CONMEBOL–UEFA Women’s Champions Cup – Finalissima: England 1 – Brazil”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 2023-04-20
      1. To keep (something) in the mind; to recall, to remember.
         A strange thing was that Bovary, while continually thinking of Emma, was forgetting her. He grew desperate as he felt this image fading from his memory in spite of all efforts to retain it. Yet every night he dreamt of her; it was always the same dream. He drew near her, but when he was about to clasp her she fell into decay in his arms. 1958, Gustave Flaubert, chapter 11, in Eleanor Marx-Aveling, transl., Madame Bovary, collector’s edition, New York, N.Y.: Pocket Books, →OCLC, part III, page 366
   5. To keep (something) in place or use, instead of removing or abolishing it; to preserve.
      [T]hou tookeſt this liberty, to have other Gods beſides the Lord thy God, viz. thy Baalims and Demon-gods of other Nations about thee; and yet hopedſt that Jehovah the God of Heaven, thy only Sovereign God, vvould not be offended thereat, ſince thou retainedſt him ſtill in chief place and honour vvith thee. 1677, Joseph Mede, “The Apostasy of the Latter Times;[…]. The Sixth Edition,[…]. Chapter X.”, in The Works of the Pious and Profoundly-learned Joseph Mede, B.D.[…], [4th] edition, London: […] Roger Norton, for Richard Royston,[…], →OCLC, book III, page 645
      The electric locomotives, which have been a familiar sight for so many years, are to be withdrawn from passenger service, but a few will be retained for miscellaneous non-passenger duties. 1961 October, “Talking of Trains: Metropolitan Service Revised”, in Trains Illustrated, London: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 584
   6. To engage or hire (someone), especially temporarily.
      1. (chiefly law) 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.
   7. To keep (someone) in one's pay or service; also, (chiefly historical) to maintain (someone) as a dependent or follower.
   8. (reflexive) To control or restrain (oneself); to exercise self-control over (oneself).
   9. (archaic) To keep (someone) in custody; to prevent (someone) from leaving.
   10. (Christianity) To declare (a sin) not forgiven.
2. (intransitive)
   1. To keep in control or possession; to continue having.
   2. To have the ability to keep something in the mind; to use the memory.
   3. (medicine) Of a body or body organ: to hold back tissue or a substance.
   4. (obsolete)
      1. To refrain from doing something.
      2. To be a dependent or follower to someone.
      3. (rare) To continue, to remain.

Etymology 2

Partly: * from Middle English retein, retain (“possession of a sum of money”) […]; and * from the verb (see etymology 1).

noun

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