retain
verb /rɪˈteɪn/
/rɪˈteɪn/
(rather formal)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they retain | /rɪˈteɪn/ /rɪˈteɪn/ |
| he / she / it retains | /rɪˈteɪnz/ /rɪˈteɪnz/ |
| past simple retained | /rɪˈteɪnd/ /rɪˈteɪnd/ |
| past participle retained | /rɪˈteɪnd/ /rɪˈteɪnd/ |
| -ing form retaining | /rɪˈteɪnɪŋ/ /rɪˈteɪnɪŋ/ |
- retain something to keep something; to continue to have something synonym preserve
- to retain your independence
- He struggled to retain control of the situation.
- The house retains much of its original charm.
- She retained her tennis title for the third year.
Extra Examples- He has successfully retained his position as national president of the society.
- He was allowed to retain his parliamentary seat.
- Her new music largely retains the distinctiveness of the old.
- The immigrants have a right to retain their language.
- The president retained her as his chief adviser.
- Please retain your ticket stub during the event.
- Residents of the home are able to retain their independence.
- To retain talent, companies must give employees the opportunity to develop.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- nonetheless
- still
- yet
- …
- be eager to
- be keen to
- hope to
- …
- as
- retain something to continue to hold or contain something
- These plants will need a soil that retains moisture during the summer months.
- This information is no longer retained within the computer's main memory.
- (figurative) She has a good memory and finds it easy to retain facts.
- retain somebody/something (law) if a member of the public retains somebody such as a lawyer, he or she pays money regularly or in advance so the lawyer, etc. will do work for him or her
- You will be paid a retaining fee.
- You will need to retain the services of a lawyer.
see also retention, retentive
Word Originlate Middle English: via Anglo-Norman French from Old French retenir, from Latin retinere, from re- ‘back’ + tenere ‘hold’.