Definitions for: Contain


[v] hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of; "Arrest the downward trend"; "Check the growth of communism in SE Asia"; "Contain the rebel movement"; "Turn back athe tide of communism"
[v] lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake"; "hold your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger"
[v] include or contain; have as a component; "A totally new idea is comprised in this paper"; "The record contains many old songs from the 1930's"
[v] contain or hold; have within; "The jar carries wine"; "The canteen holds fresh water"; "This can contains water"
[v] be capable of holding or containing; "This box won't take all the items"; "The flask holds one gallon"
[v] be divisible by; "24 contains 6"



Webster (1913) Definition: Con*tain", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Contained; p. pr. &
vb. n. Containing.] [OE. contenen, conteinen, F. contenir,
fr. L. continere, -tentum; con- + tenere to hold. See
Tenable, and cf. Countenance.]
1. To hold within fixed limits; to comprise; to include; to
inclose; to hold.

Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can not
contain thee; how much less this house! --2 Chron.
vi. 18.

When that this body did contain a spirit. --Shak.

What thy stores contain bring forth. --Milton.

2. To have capacity for; to be able to hold; to hold; to be
equivalent to; as, a bushel contains four pecks.

3. To put constraint upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep
within bounds. [Obs., exept as used reflexively.]

The king's person contains the unruly people from
evil occasions. --Spenser.

Fear not, my lord: we can contain ourselves. --Shak.


Con*tain", v. i.
To restrain desire; to live in continence or chastity.

But if they can not contain, let them marry. --1 Cor.
vii. 9.

Synonyms: arrest, bear, carry, check, check, comprise, control, curb, hold, hold, hold back, hold in, incorporate, moderate, stop, turn back

See Also: abnegate, bate, be, bound, catch, circle, confine, confine, conquer, counteract, countercheck, cricify, cut down, cut out, damp, defend, deny, encircle, enclose, environ, hold back, hold in, house, include, inhibit, keep, keep back, limit, mortify, restrain, restrict, retain, ring, round, seat, sleep, stamp down, subdue, suppress, surround, thermostat, throttle, train, trammel

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