Word Frequency
maintenance
(ˈmeɪntɪnəns)
noun
1.
the act of maintaining or the state of being maintained
2.
a means of support; livelihood
3. (modifier)
of or relating to the maintaining of buildings, machinery, etc
maintenance man
4. law
(formerly unlawful) the interference in a legal action by a person having no interest in it, as by providing funds to continue the action
See also champerty 5. law
a provision ordered to be made by way of periodical payments or a lump sum, as after a divorce for a spouse
6. computing
a.
the correction or prevention of faults in hardware by a programme of inspection and the replacement of parts
b.
the removal of existing faults and the modification of software in response to changes in specification or environment
Word origin
C14: from Old French; see maintain