TOP

Definition of retain verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

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/
jump to other results
  1. 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 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
    verb + retain
    • be eager to
    • be keen to
    • hope to
    preposition
    • as
    See full entry
  2. 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.
  3. retain somebody/something (law) if a member of the public retains somebody such as a lawyer, they pay money regularly or in advance so the lawyer, etc. will do work for them
    • You will be paid a retaining fee.
    • You will need to retain the services of a lawyer.
  4. see also retention, retentive
    Word Originlate Middle English: via Anglo-Norman French from Old French retenir, from Latin retinere, from re- ‘back’ + tenere ‘hold’.
See retain in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee retain in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
dizzy
adjective
 
 
From the Topic
Health problems
C1
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day